Cedar Ridge performs during the first day of the Blistered Fingers Bluegrass Festival last summer at the Litchfield Fairgrounds in Litchfield. Russ Dillingham / Sun Journal file photo

Blistered Fingers Family Bluegrass Festival is celebrating its 61st festival at the Litchfield Fairgrounds (30 Plains Road) from Aug. 22-25. The gates will open at 8 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 18, for early bird camping.

The festival grounds have a big stage that was built in 2010, indoor bathroom facilities, four free hot showers and numerous water hookups throughout the grounds, and electrical hookups. There will be several types of vendors located on the grounds.

“Everyone who attends loves our camping grounds,” Sandy Cormier, co-promoter of the festival, said in a prepared release. “We also have a lot of field picking through the whole time of the festival.”

Children and their instructors practice during the Blistered Fingers Kids Academy at last year’s Blistered Fingers Family Bluegrass Music Festival at the Litchfield Fairgrounds. Daryn Slover / Sun Journal file photo

The festival includes the Blistered Fingers Kids Academy, a free, relaxed, informative, three-day music program for children for ages 6-18. The focus is how to play, sing and perform bluegrass music. Students can bring their own instruments and need commit to the three-day program. The kids all get a free T-Shirt and will perform a couple of songs as a group on the main stage.

Festival performers include:

• Thursday, Aug. 22: Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice (from Virginia), Katahdin Valley Boys (from Maine), Back Woods Road (from Maine) and the Blistered Fingers band (from Maine).

• Friday, Aug. 23: Nothin’ Fancy (from Virginia), Dave Adkins Band (from Kentucky), Larry Efaw & The Bluegrass Mountaineers (from Ohio) and Beartracks (from New York).

• Saturday, Aug. 24: U.S. Navy Band Country Current (from D.C.), Nothin’ Fancy, Larry Efaw & The Bluegrass Mountaineers and Country Gentlemen Tribute Band (from Maryland).

Back Woods Road, a Maine-based band, will perform at the Blistered Fingers Family Bluegrass Festival this year. Courtesy photo

• Sunday, Aug. 25: Robinson’s Bluegrass Gospel (from Massachusetts).

Tickets can be purchased at the gate. Early Bird Camping (Aug. 18-21) is $10 per day per camper. A four-day ticket (Aug. 22-25) is $100 and covers music and camping. Children 16 and under are free with a paying adult. Thursday music from 4-9 p.m. is $25, Friday and Saturday music from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. is $40 per day. Sunday gospel jam from 10-11 a.m. is free. Dogs are $10 per day.

The fairgrounds will have an extra-large tent for rain or shine cover.

For more information and a complete schedule, visit blisteredfingers.com or contact Sandy Cormier at blist-f@blisteredfingers.com or 873-6539.