FloydFest
FloydFest is a world music and arts festival held annually near Floyd, Virginia, in the Blue Ridge Mountains just off the Blue Ridge Parkway.
FloydFest | |
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The entrance to FloydFest | |
Genre | Various: rock, bluegrass, reggae, folk, Yiddish, Cajun, or Zydeco, African, Appalachian, world music, etc. |
Location(s) | Blue Ridge Mountains Floyd, Virginia |
Years active | 2002–19, 2021– |
Website | floydfest |
The event began in 2002, and spans five days each year with on-site camping and multiple stages featuring rock, bluegrass, reggae, folk, Yiddish, Cajun, or Zydeco, African, Appalachian, and world music performers. There'll be no event in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic was to blame; the 19th was deferred to 2021.
In addition to music, the festival features local arts and crafts, dance workshops, morning yoga lessons, story telling, poetry readings, and a "Children's Universe" tent.
Each year, FloydFest features a theme:
- 2002: Floyd County World Music Festival
- 2003: Out Of This World Music
- 2004: Midsummer's Dream
- 2005: Rock of Ages
- 2006: Roots Alive
- 2007: It's in the Mix
- 2008: Family Affair
- 2009: Revival
- 2010: Breaking Ground
- 2011: The eXperience
- 2012: Lovers Rock
- 2013: Rise & Shine
- 2014: Revolutionary
- 2015: Fire on the Mountain
- 2016: Dreamweavin'
- 2017: Freedom
- 2018: Wild
- 2019: Voyage Home
- 2021: Odyssey (no 2020 event)
Performers
Each of the following sections has a list of notable performers for that year.
2002: Floyd County World Music Festival
- African Showboyz[1]
- Doc Watson[1]
- John Scofield[1]
- Rhonda Vincent[1]
- Sam Bush[1]
- The Neville Brothers[1]
2003: Out Of This World Music
2004: Midsummer's Dream
2005: Rock of Ages
- Ani DiFranco[1]
- Asylum Street Spankers
- Corey Harris
- Discordian Society
- Donna the Buffalo
- Hot Tuna
- J. D. Crowe
- Jackass Flats
- Jan Smith
- Jim Lauderdale
- Kruger Brothers
- Michael Farr
- Old School Freight Train
- Railroad Earth
- Scott Miller and the Commonwealth
- Soldiers of Jah Army
- Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys
- The Avett Brothers[1]
- Tortured Soul
- Xavier Rudd[1]
2006: Roots Alive
- Balfa Toujours[1]
- Cyro Baptista[1]
- Eddie From Ohio[1]
- Iris Dement[1]
- Los Lobos[1]
- Rory Block[1]
- The Avett Brothers
- Tim O'Brien[1]
2007: It's in the Mix
- Carolina Chocolate Drops
- DeVotchKa
- North Mississippi Allstars
- Red Stick Ramblers
- Rose's Pawn Shop
- Sons of Bill
- The Duhks
- The Hackensaw Boys
2009: Revival
- Blues Traveler (with special guest "Survivorman" Les Stroud)
- Blues and Lasers
- Donna the Buffalo
- EOTO
- Folk Soul Revival
- Forro in the Dark
- Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
- Grupo Fantasma
- Holy Ghost Tent Revival
- Hot 8 Brass Band
- Lee Boys
- Luminescent Orchestrii
- My Radio
- Nathan Moore
- Ollabelle
- Railroad Earth
- Raw Dawg
- Rooster Blues
- Rose's Pawn Shop
- Sxip Shirey
- The Belleville Outfit
- The Bittersweets
- The Duhks
- The Felice Brothers
- The Horse Flies
- The Old Ceremony
- The Sadies
- Toubab Krewe
- Yard Dogs Road Show
2010: Breaking Ground
2012: Lovers Rock
- ALO
- Alison Krauss & Union Station (feat. Jerry Douglas)
- American Aquarium
- Anders Osborne
- Chris Thile
- Brandi Carlile
- Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers
- David Wax Museum
- Dawes
- Drew Emmitt Band
- Drive-By Truckers
- Galactic (with special guest Corey Henry)
- Garage A Trois
- Gary Clark Jr.
- Gregory Alan Isakov
- Ha Ha Tonka
- Hoots & Hellmouth
- Jackson Browne
- Jonathan Wilson
- Leftover Salmon
- Locos Por Juana
- MarchFourth Marching Band
- Marco Benevento
- Matisyahu
- Michael Franti & Spearhead
- Orgone
- Ozomatli
- Punch Brothers
- Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
- SOJA
- Steep Canyon Rangers
- Toubab Krewe
2013: Rise & Shine
- Ben Sollee
- Blitzen Trapper
- Bombino
- Brandi Carlile
- Bronze Radio Return
- Citizen Cope
- Delta Rae
- Donavon Frankenreiter
- Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
- Field Report
- GAUDI
- Gigamesh
- Gogol Bordello
- Hogmaw
- Hot Tuna
- Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit
- John Butler Trio
- Lake Street Dive
- Larry and His Flask
- Lizzy Ross Band
- Megan Jean & The KFB
- Michael Kiwanuka
- Nahko and Medicine for the People
- Nick Driver Band
- No BS! Brass Band
- North Mississippi Allstars
- Old Crow Medicine Show
- Option 22
- Primate Fiasco
- Railroad Earth
- Rising Appalachia
- Sanctum Sully
- Spirit Family Reunion
- Tauk
- The Devil Makes Three
- The Hackensaw Boys
- The Infamous Stringdusters
- The Last Bison
- The Lumineers
- The Manx
- Trampled by Turtles
- Xavier Rudd
- Yonder Mountain String Band
2014: Revolutionary
- Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite
- Ben Miller Band
- Buddy Guy
- Carolina Chocolate Drops
- Conspirator
- Crystal Bright & the Silver Hands
- Donna the Buffalo
- Groundation
- JJ Grey & MOFRO
- Lauryn Hill
- Lettuce
- Michael Franti & Spearhead
- Paper Bird
- Quinn Sullivan
- Ray LaMontagne
- Rising Appalachia
- Robert Randolph and the Family Band
- The Campbell Brothers
- The Duhks
- The Hackensaw Boys
- The Lee Boys
- The London Souls
- Thievery Corporation
- Ziggy Marley
- Mighty Joshua
2015: Fire on the Mountain
- American Aquarium
- Blair Crimmins & The Hookers
- Brandi Carlile
- Chris Robinson Brotherhood
- Driftwood
- Drive-by Truckers
- Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
- Fear of Music
- First Aid Kit
- Folk Soul Revival
- Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
- Greensky Bluegrass
- Jerry Douglas Presents The Earls of Leicester
- Keller Williams
- Keller Williams' Grateful Grass with Jeff Austin & Others
- Leftover Salmon
- Lord Huron
- Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers
- Peter Rowan's Twang 'An Groove
- Rayland Baxter
- Shovels & Rope
- Sirsy
- Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds
- The Devil Makes Three
- The Oh Hellos
- Trampled by Turtles
- Trigger Hippy
2016: Dreamweavin'
- Gregg Allman
- Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers
- Leftover Salmon
- Nahko & Medicine for the People
- Railroad Earth
- Keller Williams w/ More Than A Little+
- Femi Kuti & Positive Force
- Shakey Graves
- The Wood Brothers
- Greensky Bluegrass
- Elephant Revival
- Anders Osborne
- Pimps of Joytime
- Rich Robinson
- Bombino
- Monophonics
- Otis Taylor Band
- The Larry Keel Experience
- Love Canon
- Con Brio
- The Legendary Shack Shakers
- Head for the Hills
- Liz Vice
- Los Colognes
- Roosterfoot
- Look Homeward
- The Midatlantic
- Bloodkin
- The Steepwater Band
- Dead 27s
- Mingo Fishtrap
- The Show Ponies
- Honey Island Swamp Band
- Polyrhythmics
- The Congress
- Banditos
- Caravan of Thieves
- Dead Winter Carpenters
- Dustbowl Revival
- TigermanWOAH!
- These Wild Plains
- Dirty Bangs
- Cask Mouse
- Cactus Attack
- The Hip Abduction
2017: Freedom
- Thievery Corporation
- Michael Franti & Spearhead
- St. Paul & the Broken Bones
- Rising Appalachia
- Leftover Salmon
- Steel Pulse
- Railroad Earth
- Shovels & Rope
- Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives
- Buffalo Mountain Jam
- Xavier Rudd
- White Denim
- Turkuaz
- Fruition
- Keller Williams
- TAUK
- The Steel Wheels
- Larry Keel Experience
- Nicola Cruz
- honeyhoney
- Vurro
- BIG Something
- Shook Twins
- The Hip Abduction
- Baskery
- Zach Deputy
- The Mantras
- Aaron Lee Tasjan
- Fémina
- That 1 Guy
- Dave Eggar Band feat. Sasha Lazard
- The Lil’ Smokies
- People’s Blues of Richmond
- Rebekah Todd & the Odyssey
- Jack Broadbent
- The Suitcase Junket
- Black Masala
- Hillbilly Casino
- Urban Soil
- Blue Mule
- Che Apalache
- Jordan Harman Band
- M.C. Broom & the Jam
- T Sisters
- Banditos
- Jon Stickley Trio
- The Tillers
- Alanna Royale
- The Stash! Band
- Strange Americans
- Whiskerman
- The Brother Brothers
- Honey Island Swamp Band
- Edward David Anderson
- Dead 27s
- Davy Knowles
- McLovins
- Hayley Jane and the Primates
- Broccoli Samurai
- The Drunken Hearts
- Strange Machines
- Trae Pierce & the T-Stones
- Liver Down The River
- Sol Searchers
- G.O.T.E.
- Black Mountain Revival
- The Wildmans
- Fernandez Sisters
- Einstein’s Monkey
- Girls Rock Roanoke
- Community High School Band
- Jefferson Center Music Lab
- Howard Falco
- Dixon’s Violin
- Miss Kitty’s Cosmonauts
- Luna
- Party Liberation Front
Reviews
FloydFest
Voted "Best Large Music Venue in Southwestern Virginia" by Virginia Living
FloydFest '04
"Some larger festivals boast a similar peace, love and music philosophy, but Floyd actually lives it, not just for one weekend, but throughout the entire year."[2]
FloydFest '05
"Floyd sits in a timeless, beautiful section of Virginia, far enough from bigger cities like Roanoke and Danville to feel like it's truly in the middle of nowhere."[3]
"The only thing constant on the festival grounds was the flow of culturally powerful music and mud covered feet."[4]
FloydFest '08
"Floydfest is an epicenter of culture for Southwest Virginia" - VA Senator, Mark Warner
Notes
- Berrier Jr., Ralph (22 July 2007). "FloydFest highlights: 2002-2006". The Roanoke Times. Archived from the original on 1 February 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
- Glide Magazine
- Musictoday Live Review Archived 2005-11-06 at the Wayback Machine
- MSN Music Review
Further reading
- Jambase Review for Floydfest 2003, A Midsummer's Dream.
- Review of Floyd Fest 2008 From HonestTune.com
External links
- Official website
- Dreaming Creek, photo gallery of the FloydFest stage