"It is our duty, not only as musicians, but as participants of this music form that it be like any other music form in history. It's our duty to allow bluegrass music to grow and flourish and at the same time retain the most important part of it, and that is the essence of the sound of real bluegrass music." -Tony Rice (2013)

Established in 1980, the Downeast Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Society is an incorporated, not for profit organization, registered with Joint Stock Companies of Nova Scotia, registration # 1253983, operating in accordance with our own Society By-Laws.

The Society is made up of direct members to the Society plus all the members of five chapters:
Truro and Area Bluegrass Society East Hants Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Association Eastern Shore Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Association Annapolis Valley Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Association Clare Bluegrass Association

The objectives of the Society are:

To Promote and Preserve Bluegrass & Oldtime Music in Eastern Canada.
To organize and produce the Annual Nova Scotia Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Festival which is the oldest Bluegrass Festival in Canada.
To organize and produce the Eastern Canada Bluegrass Music Awards

A Board of Directors elected by the total membership ideally including at least one representative from each affiliated Chapter, and numbering between 7 and 13, look after the affairs of the Society. Included in the 13 possible Directors are the Society Executive (President, 1st and 2nd Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary) who are individually elected by the membership to take care of the day to day business of the Society.

The Society has various committees in place, which often call on members for assistance. We encourage all members to get involved and help out in various society projects!