Grass on the Black is a homegrown success

The Black River is a defining element in the geography of eastern Taylor County.

The county is the birthplace of the 190 mile river with its headwaters located about 2.5 miles west of Rib Lake. For many years there was a weathered sign along the Pine Line Trail telling travelers that this was the point where the Black River begins a journey to feed into the mighty Mississippi and the long trip to the Gulf of Mexico.

All that is far away though, and the Black River as it flows through Taylor County is a young and playful river. It meanders, twisting and turning and occasionally backtracking. In places it is shallow and swift, others wider and deep its tannin-stained waters obscuring what depths it has.

It is fitting that the organizers of the Grass on the Black picked the Black River as the namesake of their bluegrass festival. Like the river itself, Bluegrass music can be at times playful, other times deep and rich with emotion. Its tunes, modulated by the banjo rhythm and the thrum of the upright bass tells stories of love, loss, joy, pain, remorse and revenge. It is the music of the old-time dance bands, where there had better be a fiddle player to keep people stepping on the dance floor.

In 2022, a group led by local restaurant owner Marilyn Frank worked to bring the first Grass on the Black event together. Starting anything new is a risky endeavor. This is especially true with music, given the wide variety of tastes and the overproduced pop scene that seems to rely more heavily on spectacle than singing ability.

The organizers worked hard lining up sponsors, getting venues set up and crossing their fingers for good weather. The success of the first year of the event made the decision to keep it going an easy one to make.

Building off that success, Grass on the Black returned last weekend offering more music at more venues and delivering on putting together a homegrown music festival that brings people together in laughter, dancing and joy.

It didn’t hurt that the weather was near-perfect. It was hot enough to enjoy a cool beverage, but with breezes keeping it from getting too stifling making it enjoyable to walk through the downtown and check out vendors.

Grass on the Black organizers, and the many businesses who helped sponsor the event, should feel proud of their accomplishment in bringing nearly two dozen bands and about 40 different performances to the community for all ages and walks of life to enjoy them.

Congratulations to the organizers and supporters of Grass on the Black for a job well done. As your namesake river grows with every mile, the community looks forward to the event continuing to run strong for years to come.