Grey Fox, the East’s premiere bluegrass festival, returns to scenic Oak Hill, NY for another year of pickin’, strummin’, singin’, plus lessons in all the above, friendly faces and great vendors in  New York’s Hudson Valley/Catskill region.

This year Del McCoury, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, the Wood Brothers, Peter Rowan, Steep Canyon Rangers and a host of other Grammy winners play alongside future Grammy winners, but anyone who knows Grey Fox knows that learning to play or dance in the free education tent, hanging with the nicest fans in music, learning at the Kids Academy and slow jams or perusing the unique food and wares vendors is like the icing on a seven-layer (in this case, six-stage) cake—that’s what holds it all together and makes you lick your fingers.

Known for the high quality of headliners and up-and-comers, the emphasis at Grey Fox is on fun with a bluegrass theme. Youngsters and teens hang with each other and with their grandparents; parents and singles join in jams inspired by the music that’s everywhere. With constant activities and things to see and hear, Grey Fox is a throwback to a time and place you don’t have to watch your kids like a hawk or hesitate to talk to strangers.

One year, a guitarist (Rory Block?) took the stage and squinted into the sun to see the crowd. I walked over to a hat vendor and asked if the artist could borrow a hat. The vendor immediately picked a cool, probably $50 hat off the rack and handed it to me. “Keep it,” she said—no dithering, no questions, just generosity. The gal connected with the crowd, played fine music and looked great in the hat. That’s Grey Fox, right there.