The Old Time Weekend

Please let us know if you find this Ramsey banjo which was lost at OTW 2022.

The Old Time Weekend runs last weekend of September on the grounds of B Chord Brewing in Round Hill VA. This festival attracted almost 200 people in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021. This weekend festival is small, simple, open, and friendly with no contest, no dance, and no camping fees. It is all about jamming.

Sep 22-25 (2022) in Round Hill, Virginia

Banner painting by Adrienne Kelly.

Festival Plans:

  • Gates open Thursday about noon. The first big wave of jammers rolls in Friday night, and the second big wave shows up around Saturday noon. Most folks are gone by Sunday at noon.

  • B Chord may host a separate fund-raiser event Sunday afternoon.

  • Due to Covid, we will not organize group dinners this year. You are welcome to organize pot-lucks with friends. Also, the brew pub now serves food!

  • See the FLYER or the MAP.

Map

B Chord Brewing in Round Hill VA. Blue pins show nearby food. Other color pins show nearby attractions


Photos by Gina

Photos by Mark Collins

B Chord

B Chord Brewing brews craft beer and hosts big-name bluegrass bands. The extensive grounds include a large indoor pub, indoor and outdoor stages, outdoor picnic area with fire pits and frisbee golf. The indoor bathrooms are open during business hours. The outdoor shower stall is operational during the festival. The brew pub now serves food during business hours. [MAP]

Parking

There is plenty of parking for old time musicians -- but only on the grass! Please leave the gravel parking lot for pub patrons.

Food and Drinks

The brew pub sells craft beer. The brew pub also serves hot food during shows. You'll find free coffee and friends at several campsites. You should bring a cooler of camping food and water. The brew pub has a potable water spigot.

By Virginia law, B Chord patrons may not bring outside alcohol onto brewery property. The pub sells craft beer. The pub will sell you a refill if you bring a growler.

Camping Facilities

You may go home at night or camp out with us. B Chord kindly sets aside the field between the road and the pub. You can park on the grass. You can set up your tent, pop-up, trailer, or RV . There are no electric or water hook-ups for the RVs, just grass. The gate to the grounds gets locked overnight. We provide outdoor port-a-johns. Dogs are welcome on a leash. You can find a convenience store, a grocery store, and the Appalachian Trail within a short drive. The pub has bathrooms, a water faucet, a shower stall, and electrical outlets. The pub facilities may not be available 24 hours per day.

Old Time Jams

This festival is exclusively about old time music jams. There are no stage performances or dances, just jams. Bring a folding chair and an instrument. Join some friends on the grass and under the pop-ups.

Registration for 2022

All we ask is that you email us in advance so we can plan successfully: FrederickOldTime@gmail.com Let us know how many people, RVs, pets, and banjos to expect. Let us know of any special needs or carpool offers.

Donations

The festival is free. The brewery kindly provides the camping area free of charge. In return, we ask that you please spend money at the brewery. Also, the festival organizing committee gladly accepts cash donations to help cover port-a-johns, shower maintenance, and festival promotion. We suggest $5 per adult for the day, or $10 for the weekend. As always, banjo players pay what you can. The organizers also welcome donations of labor to help with parking and garbage collection. Thank you!

Same Great Location

Another Year at B Chord Brewing

Our 2017 and 2018 festivals were booked at Brunswick Family Campground between the C & O Canal and the Potomac River. Sadly, river flooding destroyed much of the trails. Flooding in 2018 forced us to evacuate the festival. The B Chord Brewing company generously took in the entire festival on short notice.

Our 2020 even was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We are happy to report that everyone stayed healthy.

In 2021 and 2022, we're back at B Chord Brewing! Enjoy the free parking, the free camping, the free festival, and the (not-free-but-great) craft beers at B Chord Brewing.

Inclusiveness policy

This is a fun retreat for people who love to play, listen to, or dance to Old Time acoustic music. We enforce family-friendly behavior. We want to get away from amplified music and electric instruments. We don't tolerate rude, offensive, or drunken behavior. We welcome EVERYONE who wants to participate.

  • Friday and Saturday nights: join the jams; join the campfire circles; enjoy dinners with friends.

  • Bring your fiddles, guitars, mandolins, standup bass, and even banjos. Leave the electrics at home.

  • Provide your own tent, awning, chairs, food, water, cups, plates, utensils, cook stove.

Workshops

  • Please let us know if you would like to organize a workshop.

Thanks to the organizers

Cuch, Jason, Old Time Harold, Tony, Gina.

It happens every year on the last weekend in September.

Spread the word!

Share this URL

OldTimeFrederick.org

Ask to join the email group

FrederickOldTime@gmail.com

Crankie by Marissa Smith.

The 2019 promotional card.

The 2018 promotional card.

The 2017 promotional card.

2021

The 2021 event (fourth ~ annual) was a success with 100 to 200 attendees. The weekend occurred at B Chord Brewing Thur Sep 23 to Sun Sep 26. There was plenty of on-site parking in the fields and in the woods. The nearby DelFest event had been cancelled for Covid-related reasons; four of the stranded bands played outdoors at B Chord Saturday night, creating a rock concert atmosphere.

2020

The 2020 event was cancelled to the Covid-19 epidemic. Sorry folks!

2019

The 2019 event (third annual) was hosted by B Chord Brewing Thur Sep 26 through Sun Sep 29. The weather was perfect. Art, Pierra, and others served a huge pasta dinner. Tony & Marge led the song workshop. Danny Knicely played on the B Chord stage. [PHOTOS by Ezra Deutsch-Feldman]

2018

The 2018 event (second annual) saw heavy rain Thur Sep 27. On Friday morning, the Brunswick Family Campground had to be evacuated and by Friday afternoon it flooded. B Chord Brewing took us in on short notice. We enjoyed 2 sunny days after that. [PHOTOS]

2017

The 2017 event (first ever) was Fri Sep 29 to Sun Oct 1 at the Brunswick Family Campground. It was cold but turnout was good. We received 120 donations. [PHOTOS]