There are a couple of completely free Cigar Box Guitar events taking place over the next couple of months that are really worth a look. Firstly there is the second Elstead Barrelhouse Beer & CBG Festival on the 23rd of August. Last year’s event was a lot of fun with plenty of beer and CBG mayhem.

This year promises to be even more memorable with 12 hours of live music from a staggering line up of cigar box guitar twanging hoodlums – along with plenty more beer. And there is even the opportunity to make your own cigar box guitar, guided by the legend who goes by the name of Chickenbone John.  For Workshop Bookings go to: www.chickenbonejohn.com/events.

There’s no musical or woodworking experience required, you don’t need to bring any tools or materials and you’ll leave with a perfectly playable CBG, crafted by your own fair hands with John’s expert support.

If you like real music played by real people on real instruments then these are events that you really don’t want to miss. The fun kicks off at high noon and winds down at midnight. You can expect a full twelve hours of memorable music provided by eighteen cracking cigar box aficionados including Swamp Train, Soulcatcher and His Doofa Diddley Band, 3 Chords and a Lie, Strolling Tone, Brickdust, Jeremiah Longshanks, Strolling Tone, 2 Fat Blues, It’s All About Bob and loads more. Plus eighteen fine ales to sample and an all-day BBQ.

The first event, held in 2013, was a huge hit and this time around it’s tipped to be even better. Head for the Elstead Pavilion in the heart of the village and settle down for a day-long event jam packed with strange, weird and downright wonderful music, provided by a bunch of seriously talented cigar box-playing dudes who hail from right across Britain.

If you’d like to know more or find out the details, go right over to the Brighton Cigar Box Guitars Website.