Those who regularly attend music festivals sometimes describe their experience as almost a spiritual awakening, like Colleen Redman, who is a freelance writer for The Floyd Press and Natural Awakenings of Southwest Virginia, and other places, as well as a regular attendee of FloydFest.

“It happens like where I find myself was where I was meant to be,” Redman said. “And it turns into an experience, and the whole thing feels enchanting to me, like out of the mundane world.”

Redman will be able to build upon these experiences at FloydFest 9: Breaking Ground, taking place July 22-25 at milepost 170.5 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The festival began in 2002 as a street festival in downtown Floyd, but it became apparent that a bigger venue would be needed for what would become one of the biggest festivals not just in the New River Valley but in the entire state.

“The biggest change is the numbers of people attending, especially on Saturday,” Theresa Burris, a professor at Radford University and president of the community nonprofit Freedom Foundation of Southwest Virginia said. “Although I can only comment on this anecdotally, as in casual observation, it seems as though the number of attendees has exploded.”

“Every year it gets better,” Redman said. “I’ve watched it grow and become well-attended. I think Kris (Hodges) and Erica (Johnson) do a good job of adding new attractions every year and building on it. I’ve also watched the green, clean, eco aspect of it grow, and that’s been a pleasure to see.”

The festival’s environmentally friendly effort includes both composting and recycling. Food vendors are required to use compostable hot and cold cups, utensils, and straws as well as paper or other fiber-based plates, trays, bowls, clamshells, boats, or other containers. Styrofoam and plastic are not allowed. In addition, fine arts vendors including Green Label Organics and Zendik Arts/Eco Bead Jewelry will contribute to the eco aspect of the festival.

Those who organize FloydFest may love the environment, but the environment has been known to show its wrath during the festival, including a thunderstorm that wiped out the power for a period of time last year.

“The first year I attended, I volunteered for the festival with some friends, so we camped in a tent the entire time. This was back when it was held only Friday – Sunday,” Burris said. “My first year was the worst year for rain that I’ve witnessed, and of course, we stayed wet almost the entire time. Since that time, I only get day passes because I take my children with me now.”

“One year there was a hurricane!” Redman exclaimed “And I remember one year wearing a coat and wool hat and having it be so foggy that couldn’t see your hand in front of you.”

While this kind of weather may have been too much for some, both Burris and Redman were able to overcome these meteorological mishaps and continue to enjoy the festival.

“We just go with the flow; that’s just the way it is in nature,” Redman said. “It’s like whenever you go camping; you just have to adapt.”

“The only time the weather stopped me was last year on Sunday,” Burris said. “My older son, Paul, and I had driven all the way out to the cow field parking lot when the skies simply opened up and poured rain. We turned around and went home. But I was there when the electricity went out—not a big deal—and we stayed until they got it restored.”

FloydFest is often best known for its vast variety of musical and entertainment acts. This year’s headlining bands include The Levon Helm Band, Old Crow Medicine Show, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Galactic featuring Corey Henry of the Rebirth Brass Band, Railroad Earth, and JJ Grey & Mofro. The festival will also feature local entertainers such as The Sauerkraut Band, Dot Dot Dash, the Hoorah Cloggers, and Kat Mills, just to name a few.. There will even be Flam Chen, an aerial acrobatic pyrotechnic dancing troupe!

Though both Burris and Redman commented on the array of performances at FloydFest, they also expressed their appreciation of the festival’s relaxing and family-friendly atmosphere.

“I love the whole scene—the way you can sample an excellent microbrew and relax in the beer garden and walk a few yards to dance to an awesome band, and seeing my friends,” Redman said. “I see a lot of people I know up there, so it’s like old home week. Also, last year I brought my sister. She’s from Massachusetts, and it was so much fun to watch her enjoyment and see it through her eyes.”

“I have two favorite parts: the vast range of music performed, truly, there’s something for everyone, and looking at all the families having a great time,” Burris said. “The coordinators have done an amazing job of keeping the event family-friendly.”

Redman said that while she’s at the festival she tries to devise some kind of plan so she can she can see and do everything she wants to, which usually doesn’t end up happening. Once she gets there she just likes being able to go to from one attraction to the next.

“It seemed like wherever we stopped it was an experience, an adventure, like that’s where we were meant to be,” Redman said. “And that’s kind of how it works. We’re like butterflies popping from one flower to the next just sampling.”

Tickets for FloydFest are single day, three-day weekend, or four-day weekend. For information on prices or the festival in general, visit www.floydfest.com. The site also has a cool audio feature that allows you to sample lots of the event’s performers. For more information about some of the specific performers, check out our “Speed Date With a FloydFest Act” series.

Lindsey Macdonald is a Virginia Tech student and an intern for the New River Voice