photo by: Jennifer Compston-Strough

Brandi Waligura, marketing manager for Blame My Roots Fest, rides around the grounds Wednesday in her golf cart, complete with a pink festival logo, making sure that everything is ready for the show to get underway today.

You can’t blame people for wanting to have a good time.

Nearly every summer for more than four decades, people have converged on Eastern Ohio to do just that, and this year is no exception. Blame My Roots Country Music Festival gets underway today, returning for its third year of providing attendees with a very good time.

When the infamous Jamboree In The Hills ceased to exist, a family that had been closely affiliated with that event stepped in to fill the void. Siblings Chris and Nina Dutton set about transforming their family’s land, which had served as a private campground for JITH for 28 years, into an entertainment venue. Now Valley View Campgrounds, situated along U.S. 40 between Morristown and St. Clairsville, is home to its own multi-day concert in Blame My Roots Fest.

On Wednesday, campers were rolling into the site, the main stage had been erected and vendors of all sorts were setting up shop. Brandi Waligura, marketing manager for BMR, said preparations for the event were going very well and that she was looking forward to the start of the show.

The site offers food and drink vendors that serve breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as evening snacks. And it provides plenty of room for on-site camping for all the music lovers who want to make an entire weekend – or week – out of their trip to its rolling hills.

Gates open at 4 p.m. today. An hour later, Gage Joseph will take the stage to kick off the show. The rest of this year’s concert lineup includes:

Today

6 p.m. North to Nashville

8 p.m. Walker Montgomery

10 p.m. Niko Moon

Friday

3 p.m. gates open

3:30 p.m. Frank Vieira

4 p.m. Levi Hummon

6 p.m. Priscilla Block

8 p.m. Randy Houser

10 p.m. Chase Rice

Saturday

3 p.m. gates open

3:30 p.m. Luke Burkhardt

4 p.m. James Barker Band

6 p.m. David Lee Murphy

8 p.m. Ashley McBryde

10 p.m. Dierks Bentley