Written By Paula Brown

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Save the date for your chance to take the stage. 

Pickin' in the Park , an annual open mic music festival, is returning to the community for another year and will be held from July 27 to July 30 at Fiddle Park in Shelburne. 

“I think this year is going to be as good as it ever has been,” said Greg Holmes, co-organizer of the four-day country jamboree. 

Pickin' in the Park was started in 2013 by local residents Greg and Heather Holmes who, after attending similar events outside of the community, decided to create a festival for any musician to take the stage. 

“There's not a lot of these types of shows going on anymore. You have bluegrass festivals and country festivals, but not a lot of open mic festivals,” explained Holmes. “Pickin' in the Park is just a country music festival with lots of music happening in the park and people like doing it.” 

According to Holmes, in the past the event has seen nearly 100 people going through in one open mic session for their chance to sing two songs on stage.

The country jamboree will feature open mic sessions on Thursday, Friday and Saturday as well as a special show from Greg Holmes and Friends on Saturday night.  The four-day festival will also have line dancing, a finger picking lessons on guitar, an ice cream social, and a community trunk sale. The festival will close with a gospel music jam on the Sunday. 

An entire schedule for the festival can be found on the Pickin' in the Park website (https://www.pickinthepark.webs.com/whats-happening).  

After a lull in attendance number over the last few years, Holmes said they are expecting the event to have a bounce back this year with between 200 and 300 trailers. 

Those interested in attending the event can purchase day passes for $10, all weekend passes for $25 and all weekend access passes plus camping for two people for $80. Admission will be free on the Saturday morning for the Pickin' in the Park's, Junk in the Trunk yard sale.