The Bruce Peninsula's Annual Lion's Head Bluegrass and Country Music Festival reflects the heartfelt attachment many local residents still have to their traditional country music roots.

The 21st Annual version of the Festival, one of the best-known summer events on the upper Peninsula, is set this year for the weekend of Saturday, August 24. By Friday evening of that weekend hundreds of people from all over southern Ontario and parts of the U.S. will have arrived in Lion's Head, many of them in camping trailers, to enjoy what festival organizers Gail and Norma Brinkman call "pure" country music.

By that they mean not so much the country rock that fills the airwaves today, but the tunes the country stars of another generation used to sing, and the songs a new generation of traditional country musicians are still writing and singing for an audience that appears to be growing again. Gail and Norma, part of a group of nine local people who organize the Festival , call it "music that tells a story."

"Ours is an old-time country music," says Gail. "The real country music, the fiddlers, the old songs, the traditional country."

The living room of the modest Brinkman home in Lion's Head, on the peninsula's picturesque Georgian Bay shore, reflects how close the couple still are to the musical heritage they grew up with, in a community where the pioneer-homestead experience is still a living memory. There's a small stand-up piano against one wall. And on a stand in the middle of the room where it's ready to be picked up at any time for a little pickin' and strummin' Gail's favourite acoustic western guitar has pride of place.

Nowadays, with an almost overwhelming array of modem, hi-tech entertainment choices to chose from, most people could barely comprehend a bygone age when families and firiends spent many an evening together entertaining themselves playing musical instruments, singing, dancing and socializing.

But here on the peninsula those kinds of evenings are still a cherished memory and a present reality, especially for people like the Brinkmans who were bom and raised in the area.

"There was a piano, a fiddle, maybe a bass fiddle and a guitar or two. That was it. That was music," says Gail. "We always had a guitar or piano. Years ago that was the entertainment," adds Norma. "That's the way they had it for years and years."

In keeping with that spirit, the arena of the Bruce Peninsula and District Community Centre is turned into a big virtual living room for the main Festival musical program, starting at 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 and running until I a.m. This year's headliner is rising Canadian country music star Jamie Warren of Waterloo. Other performers include well known Canadian country music musician Harold McIntyre, J. Brian Oakes, Mark La Forme, Grant Tingey, the Grey-Bruce group True Country, Northern Grass, a local bluegrass group, and Detour.

A highlight of the weekend is always the free Friday evening jam session on an outdoor stage. Anyone with an urge to make music is welcome to take the stage. New this year, a one-day Farmers' Market will be set up in the community Centre parking lot from 8 a.m. to Noon Saturday. There will be a Craft Area inside. The Lion's Head Rotary Club will have a food booth. Western Wear will also be on sale.. Other festival related events will include Lawn Mower races and a downtown Lion's Head Sidewalk Sale.

Over the years the festival has been an obvious benefit to local tourism, says Norma. "It brings people to the area, and they come back," she says, noting many Festival visitors return year after year. Some have discovered and fallen in love with the area so much they've bought cottages or homes and moved up. And now they're volunteering to help out on Festival day, Gail says.

The Festival was first started in 1981 to help raise money to build a new ice arena. After the arena was paid for it continued to be held to raise money for the Community Centre and its arena, and for other community projects, like construction of a new doctors' clinic.

The Brinkmans estimated the Festival has easily contributed $100,000 to the community from its proceeds. They're proud to say the Festival has never lost money and continues to be held without the help of any government seed money.

On a personal level, they've derived a lot of satisfaction from their 21 years as Festival organizers.

"We've made a lot of good friends," says Gail.

"It's good to see people enjoying themselves," adds Norma.

Gail says the Festival atmosphere quickly becomes very social and pleasant. "We have a crowd that likes to visit, dance and listen to music."

Just like in the old days.

Other on the organizing committee are Jackie and Lome Ceasar, Debbie Tackaberry, Trish Thompson, Larry and Carol Reaney and Tim Hayes.

Admission to the Saturday musical program is $20 in advance or $22.50 after Friday night at 6 p.m. Children under 12 are free. For more information call (5 19) 793-3533, (519) 793-3470 or (519) 795-7444.