Hardtimes Bluegrass Festival – July 2023
Thursday July 20, 2023
Clifford and I have been camped at the Charles Waters Campground in the Bass Creek Recreation Area in the Bitterroot Valley, about halfway between Florence and Stevensville, Montana. Today is moving day and we are headed to the Hardtimes Bluegrass Festival south of Hamilton, Montana. After breakfast and dishes, we finish packing and leave Bass Creek by 10:00 a.m. We meet my sister Nancy at Stevensville and caravan to the venue.
Although many people with their campers, vans, and tents are already here, we find a spot that is fairly level and Nancy parks beside us in the shade of a big pine tree. She has fixed up the back of her pickup with a cot and beds for her two dog, Ellie and Harvey. We have lunch of cold chicken and potato salad before Nancy and I walk about with the dogs. None of the bands are playing today, but Clifford with his dulcimer, Nancy on mandolin, and I with my old fiddle play music at our campsite awhile before dinner at our RV.
Friday July 21
I am up early, as is Nancy with her dogs. I make coffee for the two of us, and then fruit, yogurt, and granola for a light breakfast. Nancy and I walk the dogs, which is easier than keeping them relaxed in these new surroundings. A big motorhome arrives and parks next to us, and its generator runs continuously, even though this is a non-generator section for parking. Kind of gets on all our nerves and we can’t even hear ourselves well enough to play music. Oh well, we are all here to enjoy the bands, so there is no point in letting it spoil the enjoyment of being here.
The onstage music starts in the late afternoon and we head over to the sitting area to find shade to set up our lawn chairs with a view of the bands onstage. The bands are all very good. I especially enjoy Lockwood as their fiddle player, Taylor Buckley, is SO GOOD! It is late by time the last band of the day finishes and we all head back to our rigs to go to bed.
Saturday July 22
Today is a full day of bands on stage. It is a better day for Nancy and the dogs, as Ellie is happy to just lie in the little creek that runs through the sitting area and Harley relaxes as he cuddles up on her lap. It is a hot day, and cold salted water is a beverage of choice. Clifford bought me a cute skirt and I bought myself a cool mug, not that I need more mugs, but I liked everything about it. As I chatted with the guy who sells them, it turns out he is from Great Falls, Montana, and he was probably in the Great Falls orchestra the same time I was, back in the 1980’s.
I walk around taking photos, as it is hard for me to sit still for so long and I can enjoy the bands even when I am moseying around. I skip the last band as I am so sleepy I can’t stay awake.
Sunday July 23
Today is the wrap-up for the Hardtimes Bluegrass Festival. I make coffee for Nancy and myself before we head on over to the sitting area. There are fewer bands today, but the raffle is always fun. After the last band, I stick around to help with take down. Nancy has to head home so she and her dogs can get back to their normal routine, and Clifford is at our site playing and singing.
I walk about to pick up any remaining trash, but there isn’t much. People here were good about picking after themselves.
I like to help out, as we are staying here until tomorrow. It is just too late to pack up and make the drive to our next destination – Quartzflat Campground near Superior. It has been a hot few days – upper 90’s, but there is a pretty sunset this evening and we appreciate ending this adventure with spending a peaceful night here after the lively hubbub of the weekend. Many thanks to Mike and Tari Conroy, the Hardtimes organizers, and the many others who help make this such a wonderful festival.
