Ole Rex’s Pickin’ Park is where the bluegrass grows, and it will be picked this weekend with pickers and grinners from far and near.

Ole Rex’s Memorial Bluegrass Jamboree, the inaugural event at Ole Rex’s Pickin’ Park in Henderson, will kick off Thursday night with jamming on the porch and under the oaks and continue through Saturday until around 10 p.m.

But the pickin’ is nothing new. Ole Rex’s Memorial Bluegrass Jamboree will simply be a continuation of Ole Rex’s Bluegrass Festivals that started nearly 50 years ago with the legendary Rex Locklar.

When Locklar died in February 2014, he had hosted biannual bluegrass festivals in Henderson every October and April for 46 years, earning him the title Mr. Bluegrass. However, Locklar preferred to be called Ole Rex.

When Locklar died, some people thought so would the bluegrass festivals. But Locklar’s friends were determined not to let that happen, to make sure that the high, lonesome sound of bluegrass would continue to be heard in the sleepy Henderson community in rural Pike County.

The old Henderson schoolhouse that had been the staging area for the festivals was toppling long before Locklar’s death. Only the kitchen area was salvageable.

So, Locklar’s friends committed their time, talents, energy and dollars to saving what remained of the old schoolhouse.

Bobby Jackson, Pete Austin, Shelby Cargile, David Turner, Harold Pruitt and Frank Livingston have led the way in making sure that Locklar’s legacy of bluegrass music continues.

“There was nothing to save except the kitchen,” said Pete Austin. “So, we tore down the rest of the old schoolhouse, put a front porch on the kitchen, made a stage and gave it the appearance of an old country store.  We think Ole Rex would have liked that. We’ve decorated it a little and built a walkway.”

But the inside kitchen area is just as Locklar left it.

“As a tribute to him,” Austin said. “We’ve got more work to do. We just work as long as the money lasts then we stop for a while.”

Locklar’s friends are at a good stopping place, October 2016. It’s bluegrass time in Henderson.

“We’ve got the bluegrass park area all cleaned up, and we’ve added a few more RV spots,” Austin said. “We’ve got 94 spots and all of them are rented for the bluegrass festival except four. We’ve get spots for tents available and there’s no charge to pitch a tent. Other than that, the campground is just about packed.”

The jamming will begin as soon as folks begin to gather on Thursday. On Friday, the stage entertainment will get underway at 6 p.m. and continue until.

“On Saturday, we’ll hold a memorial service at 1 p.m. and the picking and singing will start on the stage right after,” Austin said. “We’ve got a several groups coming to be on stage and a lot of groups will get together and play on the stage. And, there will be picking and singing all around the grounds all the time. You can sit and listen or walk around from place to place. Wherever you go, good music will be played.”

Austin said visitors to Ole Rex’s Pickin’ Park don’t have to pick or even sing to enjoy the festival.

“A lot of folks just come to sit and listen,” he said. “You’ll hear a lot of bluegrass and some country and gospel music and it will all be good.  And, it’s a good family atmosphere.”

Admission to the bluegrass festival is free.

“That’s the way Rex wanted it,” Austin said. “The only money that we get for the upkeep of the park is from the RVs. We do have a donation box for anybody that wants to contribute but you don’t have to. Rex wanted everybody to come and enjoy the bluegrass and that’s all we want – that and keeping the legacy of Ole Rex alive. That’s the main thing.”