WinklePicker Festival - When New Englanders Go Barnyard Crazy

Italy & Brazil have Carnivale. Germany has Fasching. New Orleans has Mardi Gras. Ashfield, Massachusetts has WinklePicker -- When New Englanders Go Barnyard Crazy. February 15, 16, & 17, 2013.

Advance tickets are now available for the second annual WinklePicker Festival which will once again bring the music, food and culture of New Orleans to the streets of Ashfield, Massachusetts, February 15-17, 2013. WinklePicker is a weekend of the best food, music, cooking instruction, conversation and masquerading - New Orleans-style. This year’s event will kick off Friday night, February 15 with an authentic New Orleans dinner at Elmer’s store by chef Carlos Neville. The longtime New Orleans chef and culinary school pastry and baking tutor will then teach a special WinklePicker cooking class focused on New Orleans cuisine Saturday morning at Elmer’s Store. Things really start moving Saturday afternoon at the kids Mardi Gras ball with The Primate Fiasco, known for their high-energy mix of old timey Dixie Jazz, modern groove/funk/improv music. Saturday night it’s the grown-ups’ turn with a Mardi Gras Ball hosted by multi-Grammy nominee Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys who work up the crowd with a hot two-step, then turn on a dime and deliver an a cappella ballad, then play something that sounds like Howlin' Wolf fell in lust with a Creole girl. Sunday WinklePicker events include a Gospel Brunch at the Ashfield Congregational Church, an afternoon concert and conversation with Charles Neville, and a grande finale show with Valley favorite Eilen Jewell, who has already earned comparison to Lucinda Williams, Peggy Lee and Gillian Welch, plus special guests The Salvation Alley String Band. Both balls and the Sunday concerts will be at the Ashfield Town Hall – site of last year’s sold out Buckwheat Zydeco WinklePicker ball. Complete WinklePicker event details and ticketing information is available at www.WinklePickerFest.com