Loose Leaf Notes

~ The majority of the photos and captions below were published in The Floyd Press newspaper on July 7, 2011.

At the Fandango Beer and Wine Festival last Sunday, festival founders Kris Hodges and Erika Johnson pause to pose with their daughter, who is enjoying lemonade from one of the festival food vending tents.

Inside the Wine Tent, the staff of AmRhein Wine Cellars from Bent Mountain gave wine tastings while wearing zany hats.  Among the ten wineries represented was Mattaponi Winery, a Native American Winery from Spotsylvania, Virginia.

Festival goers made themselves comfortable in the cafe garden seating along the festival trail.  Inside the Beer Tent Virginia microbrews were paired with fresh roasted peanuts.  Among the approximately 16 breweries on site were regional ones from Radford, Blacksburg, Roanoke, Afton, Louisa and Charlottesville.  Other craft beers at the festival were brewed in North Carolina, Delaware, Vermont and Colorado.

Some festival goers cooled down in Children’s Universe dunking pool.

Still under construction at the festival site workday two weeks ago, the community Coffee House, featuring Red Rooster fresh roasted coffee and beverages from Blackwater Loft, was open for business.

Selling Floyd inspired T-shirts, caps and posters and more, Republic of Floyd’s Tom Ryan and Elaine Braley help with a purchase.

A tie-dyed umbrella and a 4^th of July American flag set the stage for this scene, which took place during a performance of Danger Muffin, an American roots rock band from South Carolina.

Two sisters show off their blow fish balloons while shopping for bracelets at Artistic Origins, the booth of a jeweler from Lousia.  The girls and their family come up to the area from Florida every year for several weeks and enjoy Fandango and Floydfest, said their mother.

Roanoke area band Blue Mule entertained on the Beer Garden stage Sunday afternoon with a mix of bluegrazz, bluejazz and bluerock.  Pictured are (left to right) Tom Ohmson, Eli William, John McBroom, and Tom Rhodes. Fandango/Floydfest co-founder Kris Hodges is on drums.

Anders Osborne, a Swedish rocker from New Orleans, and his band mates gave a high energy performance on the Dreaming Creek main stage, closing out the two-day festival on Sunday evening. Anders has written hit songs for Tim McGraw, Keb Mo and others.

Osborne told the audience that he had just gotten his first tie-dye from Fit to Be Tied.  After performing one inspired number he said, “I guess the tie dye worked.”  Fit to be Tied is a family business based in the Check part of Floyd County.

A family affair of all day fun wore some out.

My husband Joe and me relaxing in the Beer Garden love seat after saying goodbye to my son Dylan and his family (pictured above).  ~ Colleen Redman