FloydFest explained
| FloydFest |
| Location: | Blue Ridge Mountains
Floyd, Virginia |
| Years Active: | 2002–19, 2021–present |
| Genre: | Various: rock, bluegrass, reggae, folk, Yiddish, Cajun, or Zydeco, African, Appalachian, world music |
FloydFest is a Music and arts festival held annually near Floyd, Virginia, in the Blue Ridge Mountains
History
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. The event was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the 19th edition was deferred to 2021.
After the 2022 festival, organizers moved the festival to a site in the community of Check, VA, in Floyd County a dozen miles northeast of the town of Floyd. However, due to environmental concerns about the site, it could not be used for the 2023 festival, which had to be canceled.[1]
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. In March, 2024,
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
- 2020: -No Event-
- 2021: Odyssey
- 2022: Heartbeat
- 2023: Forever (No Event)
- 2024 Horizon
Performers
Each of the following sections has a list of notable performers for that year.
2002: Floyd County World Music Festival
- Lucky Dube
- Karsh Kale
- Culture
- David Grisman Quintet
- King Chang
- Garmarna
- Stacey Earle
- Peter Rowan & Tony Rice
- DJ Cheb I Sabba
- Acoustic Syndicate
- Rhonda Vincent
- Lonesome River Band
- Solazo
2003: Out Of This World Music
2004: Midsummer's Dream
2005: Rock of Ages
2006: Roots Alive
- Akoya Afrobeat
- Rhythm Taxi
- Donna the Buffalo
- Gabby La La
- Drew Emmitt of Leftover Salmon
- Campbell Brothers
- Jake Shimabukuro
- Toubab Krewe
- Garaj Mahal
- Balfa Toujours
- David Bromberg and the Angel Band
- The Lee Boys
- Adrienne Young and Little Sadie
- Lamine Toure
- William Walter and Co.
- Scott Perry
- Devon Sproule
- Kat Mills
- Blue Mule
- Still WIlliss
- Kill Basa Bill's Roadshow
- Charivari
- Dirk Powell
- Appalachian Roots
- Jan Smith Band
- No Speed Limit
- Morwenna Lasso and Jay Pun
- Vulgar Bulgars
- Smooth Kentucky
- Sun Dried Opossum
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
- Andy Palacio & the Garifuna Collective
- Sam Bush
- Donna the Buffalo
- Cat Empire
- Railroad Earth
- Midnite
- Waybacks
- Toubab Krewe
- Blue Highway
- Langhorn Slim
- Kusan Ensemble
- Feufollet
- Lil' Brian and the Zydeco Travelers
- 3 Fox Drive
- Erik Mongrain
- Appalachian Roots
- Scythian
- American Dumpster
- Church
- Infamous Stringdusters
- Carolina Chocolate Drops
- Spiral
- Jan Smith
- Sol Creech Band
- Strut
- The Seed
- Morwenna Lasko & Jay Punn
- William Walter & Co.
- Devon Sproule
- Paul Curreri
- The Wiyos
- Smooth Kentucky
- The Old Ceremony
- Possum Jenkins Band
- Wild Turkeys
- Kat Mills
- Kill Basa Bills Roadshow
- Carbon Culture
- Blue Mule
- Anya & Jackson
- Scott Perry
- Bombadil
- Musicians from the Crooked Road
- Telepath
- The Barrel House Mamas
- Mood Cultivation
- Hope Massive
- Capoeirista
2008: Family Affair
- Amos Lee
- Rusted Root
- Avett Brothers
- Railroad Earth
- Tea Leaf Green
- David Grisman Quintet
- Oliver Mtukudzi
- Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk
- Donna the Buffalo
- New Monsoon
- Crooked Still
- Chatham County Line
- Golem
- Tony Trischka & Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular
- The Rev Peyton's Big Damn Band
- Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
- Laura Reed & Deep Pocket
- Jamie McLean
- DJ Williams Projekt
- Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band
- The Superpowers
- Bombadil
- Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad
- Gokh-bi System
- Blueground Undergrass
- The Speckers
- Cadillac Sky
- Kill Basa Bill's Roadshow
- Ananda
- 3 minute Lovin'
- Blue Mule
- Mr. Mojo
- Wild Turkeys
- Jan Smith Band
- Spiral
- The Blue Fairy & Prince of Pipes
- Indigenous Gourd Orchestra
- Oneside-Bucktown Kickback
- Lynx
- Sons of Bill
- Junior League
- Katie Pearlman Band
- Buzz Universe
- Segway
- Kristi Emmons
- M02
- Stop Drop & Roll
- Kat Mills
- Eli Cook & Electric Holy Firewater
- Paleface
- Jordan Harmon Band
- Izzy & Chris
- The Aliens
- Curious Strange
- Shane Gamble & the Gentlemen
- the everybodyfields
- iRon Lion
- Thunderdrums
- Blind Corn Liquor Pickers
- Cashmere Jungle Lords
- My Radio
- Jennie Arnau
- Turbo Project
- David Shultz
- Kings of Belmont
- Sci Fi
- Moossa
- HuDost
- Stephanie Rocker
- William Walter & Co.
2009: Revival
2010: Breaking Ground
- The Levon Helm Band
- Old Crow Medicine Show
- Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
- Galactic featuring Corey Henry of The Rebirth Brass Band
- Railroad Earth
- JJ Grey & Mofro
- Karl Denson's Tiny Universe
- Soulive
- Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba
- Konono No1
- Deer Tick
- Tift Merritt
- The Low Anthem
- Hackensaw Boys
- Cornmeal
- Eric Krasno & Chapter 2
- Pimps of Joytime
- Mountain Heart
- Flam Chen
- Budos Band
- Joe Pug
- Bearfoot
- Rockridge Brothers
- WIYOS
- Solas
- Spiral
- Rising Appalachia
- Dangermuffin
- Miss Tess & the Bon Ton Parade
- Christabel & the Jons
- Boulder Acoustic Society
- Holy Ghost Tent Revival
- Packway Handle Band
- Alexis P Suter Band
- Soulhound
- Two Man Gentleman Band
- Butch Robins
- Imagicnation
- The Mantras
- Sol Driven Train
- William Walter & Co
- Thunderdrums
- Papadosio
- Folk Soul Revival
- The Barefoot Movement
- Kat Mills
- 3 Minute Lovin, *Adrienne Young
- The Steel Wheels
- American Dumpster
- Dirty Horse
- Blue Mule
- Scintillation Fire Troupe
- Old Sledge
- Kill Basa Bill's Roadshow
- JP Harris & the Tough Choices
- The Hot Seats
- Dance Afire
- White Top Mountain Band
- My Radio
- Sauerkraut Band
- Danny Knicely
- Farm Use Only
- Hoorah Cloggers
- JuggleThis!
- Rocknoceros
- Miss Kitty's Society for Wayward Cosmonauts
- Charles Eisenstein
- Dharma Rebel w/ Jason Murphy
- James Justin & Co.
- Musicians of the Crooked Road.
2012: Lovers Rock
2013: Rise & Shine
2014: Revolutionary
2015: Fire on the Mountain
2016: Dreamweavin'
2017: Freedom
2018: Wild
- Foster the People
- Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
- Old Crow Medecine Show
- Gov't Mule
- The Infamous Stringdusters
- Leftover Salmon
- Tyler Childers
- ZZ Ward
- Hiss Golden Messenger
- Greta Van Fleet
- Keller Williams Petty Grass feat. The Hillbenders
- Antibalas
- Buffalo Mountain Jam
- Nikki Lane
- Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
- The Steel Wheels
- Nicki Bluhm
- Langhorne Slim
- Son Little
- The Lil Smokies
- Horses & Hand Grenades
- The Mother Hips
- Lindsay Lou
- No BS! Brass Band
- Devon Gilfillian
- Songs from the Road Band
- Mr. Jennings
- Kaleta & Super Yamba Band
- South Hill Banks
- The Virginia Gentlemen
- Dharma Bombs
- Mapache
- The National Reserve
- The Native Howl
- The Broadcast
- Erin & the Wildfire
- Travis Meadows
- Mama Said String Band
- Che Apalache
- The Harmed Brothers
- The Floorboards
- Fireside Collective
- Sol Searchers
- Blue Mule
- Black Mountain Revival
- My Radio
- Dead Reckoning
- Omegawolfe
- Los Chupacabras
- Gote
- Morgan Wade & the Stepbrothers
- Jordan Harman
- The Jam
- The Mad Iguanas
- Andrew Scottie & the River Rats
- The Antecedents
- Common Center
- The Company Stores
- Dalton Dash
- The Dirty Grass Players
- The Freeway Revival
- Frenchie & the Holy Gems
- Graham Stone Music
- Gryzzle
- The Harwell Grice Band
- The Highballers
- The Hills and the Rivers
- Jesse Daniel Edwards
- Kendall Street Company
- Kid Brother
- Magnolia Boulevard
- Metaphonia
- Old Heavy Hands
- Sid Kingsley
- Stray Local
- Striking Copper
- Travers Brothership
- Vintage Pistol
- Virginia Ground
- Wille De Band
- The Change
- Miss Kitty's Cosmonauts
2019: Voyage Home
- The String Cheese Incident
- Brandi Carlile
- Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band
- Kacey Musgraves
- Tyler Childers
- Lukas Nelson & Promise of Real
- Margo Price
- Leftover Salmon
- Fantastic Negrito
- Hot Tuna
- Keller Williams grateful grass ft. Love Cannon
- Karl Denson's Tiny Universe
- The Motet
- Jade Bird
- The War & Treaty
- Kyle Hollingsworth Band
- American Aquarium
- DJ Williams Shots Fired
- New Orleans Suspects
- Acoustic Syndicate
- Buffalo Mountain Jam
- Songs from the Road Band
- The Saturators
- Lillie Mae
- Kaleta & Super Yamba Band
- Becca Mancari
- Trout Steak Revival
- Jon Stickley Trio
- The Works
- Mountain Heart
- Yarn
- Nora Jane Struthers
- Front Country
- Pert Near Sandstone
- Old Salt Union
- The Yawpers
- Bella's Bartock
- Circus No.9
- Honeysuckle
- The Broadcast
- Erin & the Wildfire
- The Virginia Gentlemen
- Sean McConnell
- Pumphouse Blues
- Elise Davis
- L.A. Edwards
- Magnolia Boulevard
- Travers Brothership
- Blue Mule
- Chupacabras
- Dead Reckoning
- Dharma Bombs
- Gote
- Jordan Harman
- Morgan Wade & the Stepbrothers
- Music Road Co.
- My Radio
- Solacoustix
- The Floorboards
- The Jam
- The Wildmans
- Acid Cats
- Arkansauce
- Dark Moon Hollow
- Downtown Abbey & the Echoes
- Driftwood Gypsy
- Mason Via & Hot Trail Mix
- If Birds Could Fly
- Marvelous Funkshun
- The Northerners
- The Volts
- Tuatha Dea
- Vintage Pistol
- Becki the Balloon Lady
- Blackberry Jam
- Cane Mill Road
- Ella & Mary
- Fluidity Performance Troupe
- Gravity Check Juggling
- Gypsy Geoff
- Hoot & Holler Stories
- Hunter Rhodes Medic
- Maya Burgess & Friends
- Miss Ellie's String Band
- Miss Kitty's Cosmonauts
- Community High School Band
- Music Lab at Jefferson Center
- The New River Jam Band
- The World of Good Puppets
2021: Odyssey
- The Avett Brothers
- Billy Strings
- Old Crow Medecine Show
- Turkuaz w/ Jerry Harrison & Adrian Bellow Remain in Light
- Whiskey Myers
- Goose
- Leftover Salmon
- Keller Williams
- Molly Tuttle
- The Band of Heathens
- Nicole Atkins
- Devon Gilfillian
- Brent Cobb
- Keller & the Keels
- Andy Franco & the U.N.
- Katie Pruitt
- Acoustic Syndicate
- Buffalo Mountain Jam
- Nicole Atkins All-Star Jam
- Hogslop String Band
- Rebekah Todd & the Odyssey
- Stephen Lewis & the Big Band of Fun
- Mama Said String Band
- Big Daddy Love
- L Shape Lot
- Tara Dente
- Melt
- The Josephines
- Goodnight, Texas
- The GoodFellers
- Lance Thomas
- Abby Bryant & the Echoes
- Hot Trail Mix
- 49 Winchester
- Ashley Heath and Her Heathens
- Bailey Bigger
- Bandits on the Run
- Big Atomic
- Casey Noel
- Chance McCoy
- Christian Lopez
- Darzo
- Dr. Bacon
- Free Union
- Grizzly Goat
- Into the Fog
- Music Road Co.
- Nicholas Jameson & the Morning Jays
- Pressing Strings
- Restless Leg String Band
- Sexbruise?
- Short & Company
- Taylor Scott Band
- Thunder and Rain
- Unaka Prong
- The Ambassador
- Apex
- Blue Mule
- Chupacabras
- The Dead Reckoning
- Dharma Bombs
- Empty Bottles
- Exit 109 Bluegrass
- The Floorboards
- Gote
- Isaac Hadden Project
- The Jam
- James Lagueux Band
- John Mcbroom
- Jordan Harman
- Lazy Man Dub Band
- Mike Mitchell Band
- My Radio
- Orange Culture
- Becki the Balloon Lady
- Black Mountain Revival
- The Blue Ridge Girls
- Community High School Band
- Dylan Underwood
- Einstein's Monkey
- Fluidity Performance Troupe
- Gravity Check Juggling
- Gypsy Geoff
- Hoot & Holler Stories
- Hunter Rhodes Magic
- Magician of Life
- McBurgess
- Miss Kitty's Cosmonauts
- Music Lab at Jefferson Center
- The New River Jam Band
- One Fret Over
- Sara Ernst
- Taryn Collinsworth
- World of Good Puppets
2023:~Forever~
- The Black Crowes
- My Morning Jacket
- Sheryl Crow
- Goose
- Elle King
- Yelawolf and Shooter Jennings Present: Sometimes Y
- Ripe
- Shane Smith and the Saints
- Altin Gün
- Nikki Lane
- The Hip Abduction
- Ian Noe
- Neighbor
- Eggy
- The Wilder Blue
- Palmyra
- The Jared Stout Band
2024:~Horizon~
- Joe Russo's Almost Dead
- Black Pumas
- Charley Crockett
- Sierra Ferrell
- Allen Stone
- The Record Company
- Victor Wooten & The Wooten Brothers
- Sierra Hull
- Circles Around the Sun
- Leftover Salmon
- KellerGrass ft. The HillBenders
- The Heavy Heavy
- Maggie Rose
- Jupiter & Okwess
- Drayton Farley
- Little Stranger
- Orgone
- Sons of the East
- The Nude Party
- S.G. Goodman
- Vincent Neil Emerson
- The Hip Abduction
- Town Mountain
- Cat Clyde
- Eggy
- Neighbor
- The Wilder Blue
- Jaime Wyatt
- Hogslop String Band
- Proxima Parada
- Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers
- Easy Star All-Stars
- The Commonheart
- Sam Burchfield & The Scoundrels
- The Vegabonds
- Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast
- Ben Chapman
- J & The Causeways
- Grace Bowers
- Sexbruise?
- Colby T. Helms & The Virginia Creepers
- Empire Strikes Brass
- Isaac Hadden Organ Trio
- The Wilson Springs Hotel
- Shawn Mullins
- Hank, Pattie & The Current
- Music Road Co.
- The Tree of Forgiveness Band - A John Prine Tribute
- The Dead Reckoning plays the Allman Brothers
- Palmyra (FF22 On-the-Rise Winner)
- The Jared Stout Band (FF22 On-the-Rise Runner-Up)
- FloydFest 24~Horizon On-the-Rise Competition Class of 2024 - Sponsored by Peluso Microphone Lab & Press Press Merch:
- Boa Boys
- Coral Moons
- Drew Foust & The Wheelhouse
- Happy Landing
- Houseplant
- Mackenzie Roark and The Hotpants
- Ranford Almond
- Swim in the Wild
- The Plate Scrapers
- Virginia Man
- Wood & Bone
- Wyatt Ellis
- FloydFest 24~Horizon 'Local love' Artists:
- Addie Levy
- Annalyse Marie
- Appalachian Space Train
- Blue Mule
- Chad Nickell & The Loose Change
- Cinémathèque
- GOTE
- The Hillside Chaotics
- Isaac Hadden Project
- Leonard Blush & the Camelcals
- Phat Anchovies
- Pumphouse Blues
- Sugarbush
- War Chile
- Bitchin’ Music Group Series:
- Jade Jackson
- Jesse Daniel Edwards
- L.A. Edwards
- Landon Pigg
- The Master Speed
- Floyd Country Store Workshop Porch Artists:
- DeShawn Hickman Presents Sacred Steel
- Dori Freeman
- Handmade Music School
- Justin Golden & Devil’s Coattails
- Larry Sigmon & The Virginia Girls
- Lonesome River Band
- Martha Spencer
- Nobody’s Business
- Raistlin Brabson & Margo MacSweeney
- Sarah Kate Morgan
- Twin Creeks Stringband
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."[3]
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."[4]
"The only thing constant on the festival grounds was the flow of culturally powerful music and mud covered feet."[5]
FloydFest '08
"Floydfest is an epicenter of culture for Southwest Virginia" - Virginia Senator, Mark Warner
External links
Notes and References
- News: Dickens . Tad . FloydFest cancels 2023 event . 14 August 2023 . Roanoke Times . April 6, 2023.
- News: Berrier Jr.. Ralph. FloydFest highlights: 2002-2006. 30 September 2012. The Roanoke Times. 22 July 2007. dead. https://archive.today/20130201111939/http://www.roanoke.com/entertainment/125011. 1 February 2013.
- Web site: Archived copy . 2006-01-14 . 2006-01-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060127012235/http://www.glidemagazine.com/1/reviews513.html . dead .
- https://web.archive.org/web/20051106150007/http://www.musictoday.com/news/livereview/floyd4.asp
- Web site: Archived copy . 2006-01-14 . 2005-12-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20051230151755/http://www.findwhatyoulove.com/review_story_chris_floydfest.html . dead .
