Stev and Nancy Rogeski present the County Bluegrass Festival

When the town of Fort Fairfield, Maine, was looking for entertainment for its annual Potato Blossom Festival in 2004, someone suggested bluegrass. “I didn’t know much about bluegrass music,” says Stev Rogeski. “I’m an electrician by trade. My son and I volunteered to set up the electrical connections to the campground and work in the fields. My wife, Nancy, worked at the check-in for the festival.”

By 2008, the music had grown beyond what the festival organizers could handle. Stev and Nancy didn’t want to see it go away, so they took matters into their own hands. “I gave the town 40 acres of my own land so that we wouldn’t lose the festival.” A 100’ x 100’ pole barn that seats 1200 people was erected on the land, and a campground was installed. “That all happened in July, and by Labor Day, we did our first show,” says Stev. “We then did a winter show by request.”

They had come to love bluegrass music but knew little about presenting a music festival. Before they knew it, Stev and Nancy were festival promoters, seeking talent and coordinating a bluegrass festival held three times a year. They planned the festival around other local festivals.

“During the summer months, there are a number of local festivals in small towns all over northern Maine,” Stev explains. “We planned ours at different times of the year.”

That was all fine until the great Covid pandemic hit. “We are very close to the Canadian border,” explains Stev. “About 90% of our audience is Canadian. When the pandemic hit, Canada had very tight border restrictions. That changed what we were doing. Before Covid, we would have about 300 people at each festival. That’s not a lot compared to some of the festivals in Canada, where there is more bluegrass music in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick than there is in Tennessee.”

The County Bluegrass Festival is scheduled for Labor Day Weekend, August 28-31, at 119 West Limestone Road in Fort Fairfield, Maine. This year’s lineup includes Carson Peters & Iron Mountain, Serene Green, Nick Chandler & Delivered, The Grass Messengers, Mike Mitchell, The Ruta Beggars, High River, Blistered Fingers, Dirigo Strings, and more to be announced.

Stev and Nancy visit other festivals to find talent for the festival and attend the IBMA World of Bluegrass, where they observe as many artist showcases as possible. “I love to hear new talent,” he says. “It is always exciting to find – and book – an up-and-coming band. I remember when we first heard Carolina Blue at IBMA. It was 2:30 in the morning, and it was the first time I had ever heard them. I only heard three songs and asked them to play at our festival.” The same happened with Flat Lonesome and Nick Chandler. “We typically offer them a three-year agreement.”

Stev says he has specific criteria he looks for in a band. “I like it if they write their own music. If they don’t, they typically don’t last too long. I watch how they participate with the audience, which is very important. And I want them to be entertaining. They get bonus points if they jam with people in the fields, but we don’t require that. But those that do tend to have a very loyal following.” Stev says he also follows bands on social media. “They don’t need to spread their personal business on their band page,” he says.

The festival’s motto is “Just ask.” That came from an exit survey the Rogeskis asked each guest to complete before leaving. “We always want to know how we can make their next visit better. We tell everyone that if they need something, just ask.”

The festival campground has spaces for recreational vehicles and campers and ten campers for rent. A few cabins are also on-site, and one big cabin is just five miles down