South Coast Bikeway Committee approves walking concert series

Oct 14, 2015

A troupe of wandering troubadours may make their way through the South Coast next June.

During their meeting Tuesday night, members of the South Coast Bikeway Committee heard from Raianne Richards, a musician and representative from Massachusetts Walking Tour. The committee voted to support the tour and help locate venues for a series of concerts along the bikeway.

The walking tour has been around since 2010 and features four bluegrass musicians who hike from concert to concert. Richards, one of the participating musicians, said the group typically hikes 100 miles during the tour, walking about 8 to 12 miles between venues. The tour is held throughout the last two weeks of June.

“We’re going to be hiking through this area, hopefully utilizing some of the South Coast Bikeway, and making our way either from or toward Eastham,” said Richards.

The South Coast Bikeway is a network of bike paths, multi-user paths and bike lanes stretching from Swansea to Wareham. According to its official website, the ultimate goal of the bikeway is to create a continuous system of paths for bikers “that will connect Rhode Island to Cape Cod.”

Richards said her group is currently in the outreach phase for the June 2016 concert series.

“We’re looking for other musicians, artists, poets – anybody in that kind of role,” she said. “And we’re also looking for places that would be willing to host a concert. It doesn’t have to be a traditional arts venue. In the past, we’ve done churches, libraries, town commons.”

The group carries their instruments and camping gear throughout the journey. They also provide an itinerary on their official website so that locals can join the group for a hike between shows.

By enlisting local artists, educators and land trust groups to help establish music venues for the tour, the musicians hope they will unify local art scenes.

“Our first hike, we walked from the Berkshires all the way to Boston. In doing so, we had passed through a town that hadn’t had a concert in over 20 years. And that’s why we continued,” said Richards.

She said the tour comes together through a lot of “grassroots networking.”

“Down in this area, you guys are not culturally deprived. We’re all ears for any events that we could partner with,” she said.

For more information on the tour, to contact Richards or to listen to some bluegrass music, visit masswalkingtour.org.