The Finnish Bluegrass Music Association has been established in 1993. It's goal is to promote Bluegrass music in Finland and present it to new audiences who are not aware of this fine acoustic music.
FiBMA arranges the annual Ruotsinpyhtää Bluegrass festival which has run since 1988. FiBMA members have participated in arranging the festival since the beginning taking officially over from Chip Covington (currently of Chicago Bluegrass Band fame) and Matti Lehtola after 1993.
FiBMA also arranges the weekly Toimela Bluegrass workshop. It was previously run for over thirty years by the late Tom Kuchka who's memory and long time work for Bluegrass in Finland was honored by Finnish and Swedish Bluegrass musicians at the Tom Kuchka Memorial Concert in autumn 2000 in Helsinki.
FiBMA also organizes a bluegrass club in Helsinki with performing guests from Finland and abroad. These clubs are currently held in Jumo Jazz Club at Pursimiehenkatu 2. Please check the Bluegrass Calendar for dates.
A regular weekly bluegrass jam session is held in restaurant Iso Ankkuri on Pursimiehenkatu in Helsinki on fridays. It
is an open venue for all bluegrass musicians. FiBMA also arranges Bluegrass workshop weekends around the year with extensive bluegrass teaching and band training. Everybody get together, go to sauna, have a dip in the lake and pick all night. The weekends are so successful even Bluegrass pickers from around Scandinavia like to participate when they can.
