Mayville,NY
MAYVILLE, NY — Chautauqua Rails to Trails (CR2T) is proud to present the Mayville Bluegrass Festival (MBF), set for Saturday, August 15, 2026, from 10am-11pm at Big Inlet Brewing in Mayville, New York.
This full-day celebration of bluegrass music will bring together an outstanding lineup of regional talent, highlighted by Doerfel Brothers & Family – An MBF Reunion, along with performances by Beard and the Bird, Doug Yeomans & Mountain Run, New Dawgs, Old Tricks, Creek Bend, Sally Schaefer and Tyler Bagwell, The Bluegrass Session Band, Water Horse, Bill Ward and Friends, Blue Mule, and the CR2T Bluegrass All Stars.
The Doerfel Family was a staple of the early bluegrass festivals in Lakeside Park in Mayville. A family bluegrass band, then led by parents Tom and Cheryl Doerfel, it included virtually every member of the talented family, at times numbering into the double digits.
On June 19, 2004, 15-year-old TJ and his 8-year-old guitar-prodigy brother, Ben, stepped onto the stage at the Mayville Bluegrass Festival. After years of using their family coffee table as a stage, they were finally playing a real festival alongside their parents and siblings.
That performance sparked a wild, 20-year journey. The family eventually sold their upstate NY farm, toured the country out of a bus for four years, and spent nearly a decade gigging weekly at iconic Key West spots like Sloppy Joe’s. By 2017, the band landed a management contract and relocated to Nashville, TN, to focus on original music.
While known as proficient genre-hoppers, TJ and Ben are bringing it back to their Bluegrass roots for this special show. Joining them on stage are TJ’s teenage children, Jakob on mandolin and Callie on bass. Come witness this full-circle moment as they return to perform right where it all began. “I’m really excited to bring my talented kids to the event that started it all for me,” TJ Doerfel said.
Festival goers can enjoy a relaxed outdoor atmosphere with food trucks on site and camping available. Please note that coolers are not permitted. The event is family-friendly, with free admission for children under 12.
In addition to Saturday’s festivities, attendees are invited to return for a free Bluegrass Sunday show on August 16, extending the weekend celebration of music and community.
Presale tickets are available for $30 and can be purchased at Big Inlet Brewing (6169 Elm Flat Road, Mayville, NY) or online at cr2t.org.
Proceeds from the festival support the ongoing work of Chautauqua Rails to Trails, helping to maintain and enhance local trail systems while fostering community engagement through events like the Mayville Bluegrass Festival. For more information, visit cr2t.org. or call 716-753-2800.