CHECK, VA – FloydFest’s reputation as a premier festival has grown over the last 25 years as people travel from across the country to attend it. There’s a special vibe at this small festival tucked into the Blue Ridge Mountains. It’s a celebration of community and being present in a beautiful place with happy people.
Many locals enjoy being able to attend for one or more days and either camp or drive back and forth. It’s less than an hour’s drive from Roanoke. People can choose to volunteer either before or during the festival to earn their attendance or pay the entrance fee. Volunteers get cool free t-shirts and other benefits. People interested in finding out how to volunteer can email [email protected]
FloydFest creates a safe and comfortable space. Volunteers inspect cars that come onto the site to make sure there are no weapons or glass. When rain made muddy spots where people could slip or cars could get stuck, sand and rocks quickly covered the spots. There are many nutritious and delicious food choices including vegan and gluten-free. Plus the traditional festival foods like corn dogs and kettle corn.
Families enjoy the Children’s Universe where children can make artwork to carry in the Children’s Parade. There’s a stage with musicians and open mic opportunities for children to share their talents. Children enjoy the free rock wall and parents appreciate the free Dr. Bronner’s Foam Shower that provides a fun way to clean up. The porta potties are regularly serviced and always have toilet paper.
Over the 25 years since FloydFest began Black attendance has slightly grown from almost none to some. Frederick Pryor who used to work for the Jefferson Center said that the Black community thinks that FloydFest only has bluegrass music. That’s what he used to think until he checked out the festival fifteen years ago. As he was walking around, he saw a band from DC that he had wanted to see. He enquired how he could work for Floydfest and started working for them the next year.
Pryor talked about the local Black musicians who have played at FloydFest like George Penn and this year Tony Camm & The Allstars of Funk from Lynchburg played. It’s not easy to get on the FloydFest schedule and the competition is tough. Musicians who have Grammys or are probably on the path to get a Grammy fill many of the schedule slots.
Reggae filled the air when Zion Marley took the stage with his band. The son of Laryn Hill and grandson of Bob Marley continue their legacy of love, unity and purpose while carving his own path and inspiring a new generation.
There is much more than bluegrass. The bluegrass that is there can have some interesting twists. One bluegrass band this year jammed on Led Zeppelin’s Ramble On. World Music probably captures the diversity of the artists. One band taught their audience how to Samba, a Brazilian dance with African roots.
The artwork, light shows, dancers, music and nature blend together to create a transcendental experience. Transpersonal hypnotherapist and philosopher Stephen Poplin explains in his book Inner Journeys, Cosmic Sojourns how transcendental experiences can help people connect with their higher selves as they give their egos a break. The dancing attendees looked free to dance as if no one was looking. Many of the attendees wore festival clothing and carried bubble-making machines that added to the mystical experience. Many of the roots of the instruments, music and dance at FloydFest can be traced back to Africa and ancient times.
One of the ways the government oppressed Black and Native Americans was not allowing them to gather in community to play music, to dance or to drum. Christian churches were the exception. The American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978 finally provided full legal protections for religious and cultural rights to undo the Religious Crimes
