Responder Aid 2025

~by Jeff Tryon

Saturday, October 4

At Bill Monroe’s Music Park & Campground

Who comes to help when your house is burning, or when there are floods, bad accidents, or you’re snowed in with serious medical needs? Who comes when you need help and you don’t know where to turn?

Most likely, someone from the volunteer fire departments will be the first responders to your most dire life emergencies.

Now you will have the opportunity to give back or pay it forward at “Responder Aid 2025” a Fun Raiser to benefit all six volunteer fire departments in Brown County.

The Saturday, October 4 event will run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Bill Monroe’s Music Park and Campground in Bean Blossom. Tickets are $10 each, with free admission for kids 10 and under. There is also a $5 parking fee. Camping will be available.

Food trucks, craft vendors, and games will be on hand, along with a solid musical line-up on the main stage featuring a county-fair-style showcase of locally-known talent ranging from country to songwriter, to cover band to jam band, to folk/Americana and “hillbilly soul.”

Local music maven Will Scott, who wrangled the musical acts for the event said it will be, “a solid lineup ranging from the hippie side of Brown County to the twangy side.”

The all-volunteer musicians will play throughout the day.

Acoustic blues from Steve Houk and Carolyn Dutton will kick things off at 11 a.m. Other musical acts will include Ken Hayes, country covers from Breanna Faith, folk/Americana duo Sharla June and Christy Crandall, J.C. Clements with Jason Blankenship, soulful banjo player Father Kentucky, Steve Hickman, singer/songwriter Dietrich Gosser, the Elkins Family, one-man jam band Steve Smith, and the M Squared Project (with drums).

Kids can enjoy the fire boot bean bag toss, hose rolling, corn hole, duck pond, or maybe the digital photo booth, or face painting, while adults go for the 50/50 raffle.

There will be plenty of food trucks on hand, including Sugar Creek BBQ, Brownie’s Bean Blossom Restaurant, Smalltown Pizza, Whip It, Baker’s Lemon Shake Ups, Chocolate Moose, Adventurer’s Pit Stop BBQ, and Davis Concessions.

Several local crafts people will be offering their wares, including Blessing Bracelets by Katrina Poling, 3D Printing by Sheri Reed, and Wooden Decor by Jessica Newby.

The fire departments benefiting from the event include Fruitdale, Southern Brown, Hamblen, Sweetwater, Brown County, and Jackson.

“Every department has different needs,” said organizer Carrie Gaskins. “Some will use the funds for equipment, some for training or other needs.”

Bill Monroe’s Music Park and Campground is located at 5163 N. SR 135. Reserve a campsite by calling 812-988-6422 or visit billmonroemusicpark.com .