The Bear Creek Music and Arts Festival, which takes place at the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida November 14-16, has announced that MOFRO, Dr. Claw (Ian Neville, Nick Daniels, Big Sam, Adam Deitch, Eric Krasno and Nigel Hall) and the southeast debut of Skeriks latest project McTuff will join their already impressive bill which includes Yonder Mountain String Band, and Soulive. In addition, both Jon Fishman and Michael Kang will join the version of The Everyone Orchestra that will perform at the fest. Bear Creek also will feature multiple sets from 9 bands, among them are Ivan Nevilles Dumpstaphunk, Lettuce, Perpetual Groove, The New Mastersounds and The Motet (with SCIs Kyle Hollingsworth). The festival, which will also offer canoe rides and a charity Frisbee Golf tournament, is also stepping up its environmental slant by joining forces with the Spirit of Suwannees fledgling Green Program.

We are excited to take part in the Spirit of Suwannees ambitious Green Program which will start with recycling, says festival organizer Paul Levine, and we also join in their long-term goals of instituting water conservation policies and habitat protection efforts, among other things.

The festival will also feature the artwork of many outstanding spontaneous regional artists, who will create musically inspired, live art paintings during band performances. Many of these will be available during a silent auction for charity.

There will be an onsite General Store for campers, many childrens activities, and rabid sports fans will take comfort in knowing that there will be fully functional sports bar onsite, with a satellite feed providing all of that weekends college football and NFL games.

Early bird tickets will be available until September 16 at the festival web site, and you can also go there to purchase tickets for the onsite, kick-off party November 13 which features Perpetual Groove, Telepath, Dubconscious, Brother Bean and the Hollingsworth-enhanced Motet. Report by Rob Turner