Ahhhh...Suwannee Springfest!

Campground playing. festgrrl photo. 

On the relaxation scale, it doesn't get much better than the laid-back Suwannee Springfest, happening March 17-20. You sit back and sip a cold one while the Americana and bluegrass rage the stages.

Jon Prine publicity photo

This year’s performers include John Prine, The Del McCoury Band, Brandi Carlile, Larry Keel, Railroad Earth, The Infamous Stringdusters, Keller Williams, Jeff Austin Band, Donna the Buffalo, Jim Lauderdale, Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers, and more. (Complete lineup is below.)

This is the 20th year for Suwannee Springfest, which annually gathers some of the finest string players in the world into the Spanish-moss draped woods of the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fla. It's an intimate camping festival that has some fine campground picking day and night. If you don't like to camp, there are hotels nearby.

Del McCoury. festgrrl photo

This is a big promise, but I've been to enough Suwannee Springfests to guarantee it: You will be blown away by the weekend's mad-skills musical performances, and you'll come home with some new-to-you bands to love.

Donna the Buffalo. festgrrl photo. 

Weekend tickets cover four days of music, from Thursday to Sunday night (include primitive camping) are $200 advanced and $210 at the gate. Kids 12 and under are free. Single-day and VIP tickets are also available.

Gina's washtub bass. festgrrl photo

Don't forget to take a trip down to the riverside beach. (best to use a car, golf cart, or bike -- it's a lo-o-o-o-ng walk.)

Spirit of the Suwannee River beach. festgrrl photo.

This is a family-friendly festival, so expect lots of little ones scurrying about and some budding pint-sized string players busking for spare change. Food and spirits are readily available, plus there's a camp store and a restaurant on site.

Camping by the lake. festgrrl photo.

Sunday night is always hosted by jam-Cajun-roots band Donna the Buffalo, so if you can get Monday off, I advise staying for the duration. Keller Williams Grateful Grass is also playing Sunday, with fanciful covers of Grateful Dead tunes to get your boogie on.

Scramble Campbell art. festgrrl photo.

Also worth checking out are the numerous intimate workshops held during the weekend, where musicians perform and describe techniques.  

It's hard to find a better way to spend a spring weekend in North Florida, am I right? Yes I am. 

Chilling at the ampitheater stage. festgrrl photo. 

Here's a look at who is playing, and you can check out the daily schedule here 

Suwannee Springfest 2016 Lineup
John Prine
Brandi Carlile
Railroad Earth
The Del McCoury Band
Keller Williams Grateful Grass
Infamous Stringdusters
Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers
Jeff Austin Band
The Larry Keel Experience
Donna the Buffalo
Dave & Dave (of Trampled By Turtles)
Jim Lauderdale
Cabinet
Fruition
Jon Stickley Trio
Horseshoes & Hand Grenades
Nora Jane Struthers
Mandolin Orange
Della Mae
Rumpke Mountain Boys
The Broadcast
The Virginia Daredevils
The Applebutter Express
Grits & Soul
Grandpa’s Cough Medicine
Big Cosmo
Habanero Honeys
Nikki Talley
Sloppy Joe
Quartermoon
Steve Pruett
Canary in the Coalmine
Taylor Martin’s Engine
Two Foot Level
The Steppin Stones
Acoustic Ensemble