STRATFORD – The Stratford Stride Bluegrass Festival is back and with an extra day of music.

Nine bluegrass acts will take the stage July 9 through 12 in Stratford during the music-filled, family-friendly event.

“Bluegrass is making a comeback in Iowa,” said Aaron Bradley, who is organizing the event. “With the acoustic instruments, it’s a good family-oriented festival, and I think people would enjoy it.”

The headlining acts include Nu-Blu and Darin & Brooke Aldridge, both national bluegrass bands hailing from North Carolina.

“Nu-Blu’s style is more of the progressive style,” he said. “They’ve got quite a bit of gospel and modern style.”

Darin & Brooke Aldridge play a variety of styles of bluegrass that Bradley said anybody can enjoy.

“Their style of music is anywhere from Johnny Cash to traditional and contemporary,” he said. “They’re kind of up their in the ranks.”

Another highlight, Bradley said, is The Baker Family, from Missouri.

“The fiddle player has won some fiddle awards, so that’s pretty cool,” he said.

What’s new this year is that the festival starts a day early, on July 9.

“This is the first time we’ve got a Thursday show,” he said.

The audience usually gets there early anyway, Bradley said.

“Most of our campers come in Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,” he said. “Since they are already there, we might as well do another show. We thought we’d try it and see what happens.”

He said there have been several upgrades to the park, including to the camping electrical and painted structures.

For the first time, there will be workshops on Friday, where people can learn more about various instruments.

“Basically there will be a guitar workshop, banjo workshop, fiddle workshop,” he said. “You sit in a circle and go over certain things. Go over the basics or helping anyone that wants to learn more about that instrument.”

The workshop is free and is from 2 to 5 p.m. July 10.

The three-day festival promises fun for the whole family, he said.

Since there is no alcohol at the concert, Bradley said it is a great opportunity to expose younger kids to bluegrass.

There will be a parade July 11 at 10:30 a.m. and a community church service July 12 at 10:30 a.m.