To detractors, bluegrass is “hillbilly music”--quaint, but...

To detractors, bluegrass is “hillbilly music”--quaint, but behind the times.

To its enthusiasts, bluegrass is an art form, rich in tradition, that demands sophisticated musicianship.

This weekend, many enthusiasts--and newcomers to the genre--will fill a private campground along the East Fork of the San Gabriel River with the sounds of banjos, fiddles, mandolins and vocals for the Follows Camp Bluegrass Festival.

Promoter Frank Javorsek said the festival will feature some of the top bands in the bluegrass field--including the Lynn Morris Band from Tennessee, Front Range from Colorado and Good Ol’ Persons from the Bay Area.

But for some visitors, the promoter said, the festival’s main attraction will be a chance for amateur musicians to play together in informal jam sessions scattered through the

campground. The sessions reflect the fact that bluegrass “came out of a tradition where people played to entertain themselves,” Javorsek said.

The festival will also offer workshops on songwriting, harmony singing and traditional dancing. Children will be entertained with a fishing derby, magic show and hayrides.

Follows Camp, on East Fork Road, three miles east of California 39 above Azusa, is an old gold mining site that has been converted into a private campground. Facilities include a restaurant and general store.

The festival will open at 3 p.m. Friday and continue Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $48 for three days; $38 for two days; $12 for Friday or Sunday only, and $15 for Saturday only. Tickets for children ages 6 to 12 are $5 and $6. Children under 6 are free.