NESCOPECK TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Bonding over the blues, thousands of people are expected to make their way to a local farm in Luzerne County for an annual music festival.
28/22 News stopped by the grounds of the three-day event ahead of Thursday night’s kick off.
A line of campers grows and grows in front of the family-owned Briggs Farm in Nescopeck Township.
“We are getting our spot honestly cause you have to get here early enough because it’s first come, first served to get into the campsites,” explained Ben Pypiak of Berwick.
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They’ve been piling in since Wednesday, creatively and eagerly waiting for the gates to open for the once-a-year, three-day event: The Briggs Farm Blues Festival.
“I’ve never been a festival person, however once I came to Briggs, I was sold,” said Grace Gorrell of Bloomsburg.
In its 28th year, the event has become a staple to generations of music lovers, like Brian McAndrew, who was at the very first festival in 1998.
“When you’re here, you’re part of this family. The Briggs farm, they treat you like you’re family, the music’s great. The blues is just world-class musicians that you can’t catch anywhere else for the price that they’re offering it,” said McAndrew.
That family can be seen scattered throughout the grounds, like its founder, Allison Briggs, checking tickets at the gate.
Her son Dylan has since taken over what’s now the largest blues festival in Pennsylvania.
He tells 28/22 News a lot of preparation goes into it, and he hopes for nice weather.
“I was getting nervous. I think the forecast was calling for rain all week. We were ready for it, we have tractors and guys ready to pull people in, pull people out, and get people in their spots, but I don’t think we’re going to need any of that now. All the rain has missed the farm,” explained Dylan Briggs.
Kicking off Thursday night and running through Saturday, thousands of guests will continue to pile in with crews ready to check them in and get the music going.
“That’s one of my favorite parts is just mixing in now all these different genres of music. We have jazz, we have blues, we have funk, we have rock. A little bit of everything for everyone,” said Bobby Kelchner, production manager at Briggs Farm Blues Festival.
Gates open at the Briggs Farm Music Festival at 5 p.m. Thursday, with music starting at 6. You can purchase tickets for the three-day event at the farm in Nescopeck Township.
