BALES & BOOTS
Bluegrass Bash
Featuring
THE NEVER WILL-BILLIES
BLUEGRASS BAND
Coming September 27 to St. Jacobs!
The Bales & Boots Bluegrass Bash is a non-ticketed event—we invite you to come enjoy the music, explore the village, and make a day of it with great shopping and delicious food throughout St. Jacobs!
Get ready for toe-tappin' tunes and crisp fall vibes at the first-ever Bales & Boots Bluegrass Bash! On September 27, starting at 12pm on business porches throughout town, King Street St. Jacobs will come alive with the sounds of live bluegrass music, cozy autumn decor, and laid-back country charm. Whether you're a fan of banjos, fiddles, or just soaking in the season, this is your chance to celebrate fall in true St. Jacobs style.
Get ready to tap your toes—see the full lineup below!
MAIN STAGE AREA
BETWEEN LIVING FRESH & MISAO SUSHI
1382 King St. North
12PM-1PM
RICHARD DUGAL & THE FABULOUS BLUEGRASS QUARTET
Local legend and Banjo Player Larry Johnston is the president of the Waterloo Bluegrass Association and hosts a weekly bluegrass jam in Cambridge on Tuesday nights. Larry has played with everyone from Richard Dugal, Sourwood, Nelson Family Bluegrass, to name a few.
2PM-3PM
SHANE GUSE OF WESTERN STRING AUTHORITY
Shane is a multi CCMA award winning fiddle player among many other nominations and awards. He lives in Kitchener and performs all over the world as a celebrated fiddle player
4PM-5PM
THE NEVER WILL-BILLIES BLUEGRASS BAND
Stephen Greenwell (banjo), Lucas Last (stand-up bass, vocals), and Brent Hagerman (guitar, vocals) form the core of The Never Will-Billies, delivering a vibrant mix of traditional bluegrass and modern, progressive influences. Their performances bring together rich harmonies, driving rhythms, and a contagious energy that keeps audiences tapping their feet and coming back for more.
ECO CAFÉ
1441 King Street (King St/Front St)
1PM-2PM
SCOTT WICKEN
Scott Wicken is a seasoned singer/songwriter/spoken word artist based in Waterloo, Ontario. His songs/poems are lyrically dense and move from surreal and funny to stark and sincere in a heartbeat. He's also a deft fingerpicker, a maker of mandalas, web developer, a photographer, videographer and recordist. Besides numerous bars, art galleries, cafes and theatres, Wicken has performed at the Folk on the Rocks Festival, Edmonton Folk Festival, North Country Fair, Eden Mills Writers Festival and Hillside Festival.
3PM-4PM
ERIC JACKSON
Eric Jackson & Willow River craft songs that feel like autumn—warm, textured, and timeless. Blending alternative country, bluegrass, and touches of folk/Americana, their music is rooted in harmony-rich storytelling and a deep connection to the land they call home. Based in Ontario’s Waterloo Region, the band draws its name from the original (pre-colonial) name of the Grand River: Willow River—a tribute to the area’s Indigenous heritage and Eric’s own Métis identity.
THE BOOK LOFT
4 Hachborn Street at King St/Hachborn
1PM-2PM & 3PM-4PM
ERIC BROUSSEAU OF HIGHBANKS
Meet Eric Brousseau, the spirited backbone of Ontario’s beloved bluegrass ensemble Highbanks. With soulful mastery on strings and an effortless ability to ignite the stage, Eric has graced nearly every bluegrass festival across the province—jamming alongside the finest musicians in the scene. Now, with the release of the band’s latest album First Impressions (March 31, 2025), Eric and Highbanks bring a fresh harvest of roots-rich tunes infused with boundless energy and warm, toe-tapping charm.
LA CRÈME
1369 King Street
1PM-2PM & 3PM-4PM
ANNA SMILEK
Anna is a multi-instrumentalist and Ottawa Valley Step dancer. While Viola and violin are her main instruments, she also plays piano, mandolin, and guitar. She enjoys playing multiple genres, but enjoys fiddling especially. Outside of the fiddle world Anna has been a member of the MusicFest Canada National Honour Ensemble and is currently working to earn a bachelor of music at Wilfrid Laurier University, where she recently won the 2022 Wilfred Laurier University Concerto Competition. When not playing music, Anna enjoys exploring the outdoors and working to develop her photography, design, and illustration skills.