COAL GROVE - The grass may not always be greener on the other side, but it certainly will be bluer in Coal Grove Saturday.

Banjo pickin', foot-stompin' family fun will be the focus at the first annual River Cities Bluegrass Festival Paul Porter Park, 220 Lane St. Entertainment will be from 2-7 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults with children under 12 admitted free. In case of rain, the festival will be held in Dawson-Bryant High School's cafetorium.

Kentucky-based band Sammy Adkins and the Sandy Hook Mountain Boys and local group Breakin' New Ground will be in charge of getting the crowd going.

Sponsored by the Coal Grove Betterment Club, the event will provide some musical good times but also raise money to help the group pay for its many community activities.

"We just want to raise some money to make a bigger and better Family Fun Days and get the neighborhood together to socialize and enjoy the evening," said Sue Triplett, club president who worked to organize the event for nearly six months.

In addition to Fun Days and maintaining the park and community building, the Betterment Club has provided equipment to the Coal Grove Police and Fire departments, funded a scholarship that sends a Dawson-Bryant graduate to Ohio University Southern, sponsored an annual Breakfast with Santa and organized the annual Christmas lights project, just to name a few.

All the club members are hoping and praying that Hurricane Ivan keeps its rains down south for just a few more days.

"We are worrying, but we are going to think positive," said club secretary Carol Gool.

A cake and pie auction will be hosted from 3:45 to 4:15. Food will be sold starting at noon.

Gool emphasized that the whole motivation behind he event is just to promote a community effort that pulls everyone together.

"A lot of people like bluegrass and get into it. It has a good following," she said. "We are always trying to come up with new ideas."