Joe Val Bluegrass Fest in Framingham Kicks off

The 27th annual Joe Val Bluegrass Festival kicks off at Sheraton Framingham, Massachusetts, United States at 7 pm on Friday, Feb. 17, 2012 with the Berklee Bluegrass All-Stars on the main stage and Manic Mountain Boys & Friends on the showcase stage in the hotel’s Carlisle Room.

Bill Keith & Jim Rooney will play on Saturday, Feb. 18 afternoon and will also be honored as 2012 Heritage Award winners. Keith, a Brockton native, and Rooney, from Dedham, began performing in the early 1960s in Cambridge.

Keith has also been the featured banjoist with Bill Monroe, considered by many to be “the father of bluegrass music,’’ and Rooney has produced projects for artists such as John Prine and Bonnie Raitt.

Railroad House, the band that hosts biweekly jam sessions at Stone’s Public House in Ashland, will be among Saturday’s showcase stage performers.

The three-day event includes classes for beginner through advanced musicians on topics ranging from songwriting to mandolin playing, as well as a special workshop for ages 5-17.

An auction of donated instruments raises money for the Boston Bluegrass Union’s education programs, and impromptu jam sessions have been a highlight of previous Joe Val festivals.

Main stage performers scheduled to appear include Joe Sings Joe, the Spinney Brothers, Sierra Hull and Highway 111, and Steep Canyon Rangers on Friday; Evergreen, Amy Gallatin and Stillwaters, the Josh Williams Band, Special Consensus, the Claire Lynch Band, and Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper on Saturday; and Darin and Brooke Aldridge, Flatt Lonesome, Della Mae, and Blue Highway on Feb. 19.

Local groups slated on the showcase stage include Wide Open Spaces, Still River, Michelle Canning & Rough Edges, and Three Tall Pines on Saturday; and Joe’s Truck Stop and Flatt Rabbit on Sunday.

Single-day tickets range from $25 for Friday’s events to $55 for Saturday’s; discounts for students, three-day passes, and members of the Boston Bluegrass Union are available.

To purchase tickets or get more information about performers and events, visit bbu.org/.