Home of Bay Area Bluegrass Association
Webster Civic Center serves as home base for the Bay Area Bluegrass Association (BABA) hosting their free monthly shows every third Saturday of the month. Since BABA's incorporation in 1987 the organization has worked to preserve and encourage and promote bluegrass and bluegrass gospel music as an American art form with the Webster Civic Center providing essential space for this cultural mission.
Monthly BABA Shows
The monthly BABA shows follow a structured format designed to accommodate musicians at all skill levels while also showcasing accomplished performers. Jam rooms operate from 4:00 to 9:00 PM providing multiple spaces where musicians can play together informally. These jam sessions embrace the traditional bluegrass ethos of learning by doing with experienced players mentoring beginners and everyone working through standard bluegrass repertoire. From 6:00 to 7:00 PM the open mic segment allows any musician to perform for the gathered audience testing material and gaining performance experience. The feature band performs from 7:00 to 8:15 PM bringing professional-quality bluegrass to an audience that might not otherwise encounter these artists. A closing act from 8:15 to 9:00 PM rounds out the evening.
Family-Friendly Environment
Food and soft drinks are available by donation with BABA maintaining a no-alcohol policy that keeps events family-friendly and accessible to all ages. This structure creates multiple entry points for participation - you can come to jam in the side rooms or perform during open mic or simply listen to the feature band or spend the entire afternoon and evening immersed in bluegrass music and community.
Community Outreach
BABA's mission extends beyond monthly shows to include community outreach and festival organization and collaboration with other regional bluegrass organizations. The association has supported KPFT radio and Seabrook Rotary and Crime Stoppers and Armand Bayou Nature Center and various other community causes demonstrating that their commitment to bluegrass music serves broader community-building goals. The organization also coordinates the Fun Pick camping and jamming rallies at Salmon Lake Park in Grapeland providing weekend-long opportunities for intensive bluegrass immersion.
Location and Access
Located at 311 Pennsylvania Avenue in Webster (the NASA area southeast of Houston) the venue connects the southeast Houston and Clear Lake bluegrass communities serving areas that lack easy access to downtown venues. Webster Civic Center itself provides functional space well-suited to BABA's needs with multiple rooms for jam sessions and main areas for featured performances. The location offers ample parking important for musicians hauling instruments and for families attending with children.