HUMBOLDT – Many Owl Creek Jamboree attendees are returning visitors to the annual festival, which took place over the weekend.
While some performed on the main stage, many attendees brought their instruments to play with others.
Paul Lemke of Winfield said this year was his fifth year to attend Owl Creek. He said he enjoyed the festival for many reasons.
“This festival centers on musicians from this region,” Lemke said. “It’s a permanent fixture on the calendar.”
Musicians make up a large portion of the audience according to Lemke, and many already know each other from various regional music circuits. When musicians get together, he said it’s natural to play together, or “jam.”
“It’s kind of our way of communing,” Lemke said.
Emily Anderson, better known as Mandolin Monroe, has attended the festival for eight years.
“There is a larger festival, the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield; this is kind of an extension of that,” Anderson said. “It’s mostly the die-hards who really love it are all here.”
Anderson said Owl Creek is a time of relaxation.
“You gotta get some R&R, this is our R&R,” She said.
It is also a time to connect with friends according to Anderson.
“This is not just a music festival, it’s a family reunion,” Anderson said. “These people are like my family, my chosen family, and family time is important.”
Tammy Harber and “Road” Ron said they enjoy attending the festival to listen to the music, rather than play.
Robby Clampit, a member of the Grody Riggins band, said the people are the best thing about Owl Creek.
“Humboldt itself has taken us in, we love the area,” Clampit said.
Kyle Grigsby who helps put on the festival said Owl Creek is the happiest place in the world.
“There are not a lot of places you can go and hang out until five in the morning, just jamming,” Grigsby said.
Another musician, Scott Summers said he enjoys finding new songs that move him.
Jeff Barnett started Owl Creek Jamboree, inspired by his uncle’s tales of attending Blue Grass festivals across the country. When his uncle became too ill to travel for festivals, Barnett was determined to create a festival his uncle could attend.
“Really I’m speechless because no matter what challenges we face, it works out,” Jeff said. “The togetherness of this festival is amazing with everyone helping each other out.”
Jeff said some of the challenges are weather-related, such as the heavy rain received over the weekend. Due to the rain, the music performances were moved From Hunter RV Camp to Revival Music Hall in Humboldt. Gwendolyn and Brielle Barnett, Jeff’s daughters, also attended.
“It’s cool to see where it’s come from,” Gwendolyn Barnett said. “It started from something small and it has turned into something amazing.”
Brielle echoed the sentiment that attending the festival feels like attending a family gathering.
“It’s a different world; a peaceful, calm world,” Brielle said.
Owl Creek Jamboree always takes place the second to last weekend in April and features acoustic music spanning the genres of bluegrass, red dirt, country, and folk music. In 2024, Owl Creek Jamboree was nominated for an Excellence in Recreation Award by Thrive Allen County. To learn more about Owl Creek Jamboree,
visit https://www.owlcreekjam. com.
