Event: Bluegrass Jam at Little Cedar Grocery in Kernersville (Union Cross area)

 

Date: Every Monday night

          7:00 pm until…(sometimes as late as 11:00)

 

Type: Bluegrass jam session.  Some seating provided, but bring your own chair if you can.

 

Opportunities for Participation: Musicians of all levels of experience may play. Audience members may sing along, clap along, and dance.

 

Location: Little Cedar Grocery, 4586 High Point Rd. Kernersville, NC

 

Directions: Little Cedar Grocery is located on High Point Rd. about ¼ mile from  Highway 311. Southbound travelers on Highway 311 (from Winston-Salem) should take the High Point Rd. exit and turn right. Northbound travelers (from High Point) should take the High Point Rd. exit and turn left.

 

Cost: Free

 

Parking: Free parking on the grass behind the Little Cedar Grocery. There is space for tour bus parking.

 

Special Needs Access: Yes, during fair weather. As of November, 2007, the event is not handicap accessible when the jam session is indoors (during colder weather). There is a plan to make the building handicap accessible by the spring of 2008.

 

Signage: There is a sign for the Little Cedar Grocery in front of the store.

 

Sponsor: Little Cedar Grocery

 

Web Site: None

 

Contact: Dwayne Sells

            Phone: (336) 769-2025 (store)

                        (336) 382-5253 (Dwayne Sells)

            Mailing Address: 4586 High Point Rd., Kernersville, NC 27284

 

Description of Event: Every Monday night, musicians of all levels play bluegrass music together behind the Little Cedar Grocery. The open jam session draws musicians and listeners from the local area and beyond—some regulars come down from Virginia. Audience members are free to sing along, clap, and dance. The atmosphere is friendly, and the regular attendees make newcomers feel welcome with good conversation to go along with the music.

 

History of Site/Event: Dwayne Sells’s grandfather started the Little Cedar Grocery, and Sells took it over from his father. Sells sees the store’s importance to the community not only as a business, but as a gathering place. In 2004, three local musicians decided to play bluegrass music on Monday nights at the store. What began as a small weekly gathering in the corner of the store has steadily grown—some nights there are more than 100 people in attendance. Convenience store snacks and beverages are sold, as are t-shirts promoting the bluegrass jam session.       

 

Description of Site/Facility: The music takes place behind the store. During mild weather the musicians set up outside. In colder weather they move into the “Bluegrass Barn”. Some seating is provided, but not enough for the number of people who come—those who are able to should bring chairs.

 

Significance of Site/Event to the Community: Dwayne Sells describes the bluegrass jam as a way of giving back to the community where he lives and works. It gives local people a place to gather and play and listen to music weekly, helping to “keep community in the community”.

 

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PHOTOS by John Macmillan, 2007