From The Morehead News, Tuesday, February 15,2000- Morehead, KY VOL 117, NO.13

POPPY MOUNTAIN Festival Gets State Bluegrass Honor by Kim Hamilton, staff writer

The third week of September has been named "Bluegrass Week in Kentucky, according to a proclamation signed by Gov. Paul Patton last week.

On hearing the news, Marty Stevens of Morehead perked up. The third week in September is also the week the Poppy Mountain Bluegrass Festival is held here in Rowan County on US 60 East, east of Hayes Crossing. I think it's because of Poppy Mountain, because we've drawn so many people for the third week in September, so they said, let that be Bluegrass Week, "said Stevens, owner of the Poppy Mountain property and bluegrass promoter.

The annual event draws at least 25,000 and brings about $2 million into the community each year, Stevens said.

Bill Johnson, state commissioner of rural roads and Jerry Ravenscraft;, state public service commission employee, presented Stevens with the proclamation last Tuesday (Feb. 8th).

Bluegrass Music is an original style that has withstood the test of time and embodies the spirit and character of people in the Commonwealth," states the proclamation. This year, the eighth annual Poppy Mountain festival will be held on September 12- 16th. Stevens was also nominated along with five other people in the United States for "Bluegrass Promoter of the Year" by the Society for the preservation of Bluegrass Music in America.

He Traveled to Nashville, Tenn., on Feb. 3-6 to participate in the SPBGMA awards. Even though a man from Georgia won, Stevens said he "felt like a winner just being there. It's an honor to be chosen as one of the nominees," he said.

However, IIIrd Tyme Out, the band who picked Poppy Mountain as it's home festival, walked away with several awards, from vocalist of the year to best mandolin, fiddle, and bass players.

Stevens said there are over 40 bands booked so far for the festival this year. "We've talked to every band and they say they haven't seen a festival any bigger than ours. So I guess we're probably the largest bluegrass festival in the world," Stevens said.