Loose Leaf Notes

The mostly sunny weather with cooler than normal temperatures for this time of year was perfect for camping, dancing and enjoying the outdoors. Parents pulled their little one across the grounds in wagons.

Many attendees were dressed in festival style, in rainbow colors with wide brim hats, with glitter and bells on.

Giant bubbles in the main field was a draw for children. A silent disco light show at night was largely attended by young attendees. Among the rows of artisan and refreshment booths, staffers from the Virginia Department of Health passed out free, take-home Covid tests. There were morning meditations and yoga practices, and evening AA meetings.

Happy Roots, a North Carolina non-profit that heads-up school and community garden initiatives, installed the festival’s first memorial garden, a place to honor loved ones who have passed.

The voluntary reduced capacity of attendance (due to COVID) created a sense of spaciousness that the festival hadn’t seen in years.

Although, record crowds did gather and spread out all around Hill Holler Stage to listen to Thursday night headliner Billy Strings, whose music filled the mountain with transcendent sound.

“Love was in the air!” one attendee remarked after the performance.

Old Crow Medicine Show, who put the “show” in their showmanship, was another early headliner.  Although the band is currently based in Nashville, front man Ketch Secor is originally from Harrisonburg, VA. Chance McCoy, a past OCMS member who joined the band on stage, has lived in Floyd, and Mason Via, the band’s newest member, has ties to Patrick County.

Secor made several local references, and at one point said, “I wonder what this dream come true of a summer night with a full moon rising over Floyd is all about.” There were lights, fog effects, stage dancing and a song about going to a Walmart in Wytheville to get a COVID shot included in the set.

A downpour on Saturday afternoon didn’t deter the merrymaking or the dancing in the main field where festival goers donned ponchos and umbrellas. Floyd native Idalina Walker was one of those dancing when the rain came down. She expressed her enthusiasm about being back at Floydfest as she danced to Turkuaz, a funk band with Talking Heads influences. “This is where it’s at! It’s the best vibe!” she announced.

Music acts are the mainstay of the festival, but Floydfest also offers environmental panel discussions, juggling, puppets, magic and performing arts and a yearly Children’s Universe (CU) costumed Peace Parade. Along with the CU’s family-sized sandbox, toddler playground, large wooden play ark, tether balls, puppets and family chill tents, the CU is home to a kid’s open mic on the Forever Young Stage.

Dylan Underwood, a 15-year-old from Floyd, who currently lives in Charlotte, NC grew up with the music of Floydfest. He first participated in the CU open mic when he was 2 years old. Today, he writes original songs, plays at Farmers Markets, has joined MC Yogi on stage at the Floyd Yogi Jam and was featured on the Forever Young Stage on Thursday.

On Sunday, Floydfest CEO and Roanoke’s Community High School music teacher John McBroom also played on the CU stage, accompanying the Community High School Band for a rockin’ set.

At night, the festival site lit up with glow-in-the-dark hoops and toys, performing fire spinners and Saturday night fireworks.

The main field spaceship installation, designed by Erik Davis and built by woodworker Bill St. Pierre, seemed to spin with light effects at the forefront of The Avett Brothers’ headlining performance, which also included a fantastic light show. The Brothers, an Americana fan-favorite from North Carolina, included a rendition of The Beatles’ All You Need is Love in their set. They incorporated rap and poetry, and Seth Avett led the crowd in a series of cheers for belief in hope for the future.

Festival organizers announced on Friday afternoon that Sunday headliner Whiskey Myers had cancelled their appearance due to illness and out of “an abundance of safety for their organization all well as festival patrons.” Their Sunday evening main stage timeslot was filled by Nashville singer songwriter Brent Cobb, whose 2016 Shine on Rainy Day was nominated for Best Americana Album.

Also on Sunday, as the festival wound down, Floydfest co-founder and Chief Creative Officer Kris Hodges, and CEO John McBroom participated in a panel discussion about the challenges their team faced in cancelling the 2020 festival and making a pandemic pivot.

Hodges spoke about the importance of relationships and approaching life and challenges as an art. “We’re in the business of hope, hope to be our best selves,” he said, adding, “We do the best we can to bring awareness. If we can provide a place to inspire an individual to be a better human being, I believe that will effect change.”

When asked about this year’s highlights, McBroom answered, “My favorite thing about being back on the mountain is the hugs.”

What about next year, the moderator asked? “Yes!” McBroom and Hodges both answered. _______Colleen Redman

PHOTOS – 1. The Band of Heathens was one of many bands that drew a crowd around Hill Holler Stage. 2. Festival aliens 3.  3. It’s a family friendly festival. 4. Maddie and Iva from Salem, cooled down with ice cream from the Kippy Kustard stand. It was their 4th time attending Floydfest, where they also purchased their sunglasses. 5. Black Mountain Revival did some impromptu busking. 6. Memorial garden installed by Happy Roots of Salisbury, NC. 7. Charlottesville’s Free Union was one of over 20 On-the-Rise bands competing for winnings. 8. Local artist Jamie Philips worked on a mural painting of Billy Strings. 9. Billy Strings. 10. Old Crow Medicine Show’s front man Ketch Secor is pictured on the right, and the band’s newest member Mason Via is left. 11. Floyd’s Music Road Co, a Floydfest On-the-Rise band. 12. The rain on Saturday didn’t deter dancers. 13. The World of Good Puppets’ Phoenix is fed some kettle corn by a vendor. 14. Dylan Underwood on the CU’s Forever Young Stage. 15. Roanoke’s Community High School Band plays on the Forever Young stage, accompanied by their music teacher, John McBroom.  16. The spaceship lit up at night.  17. Scott and Seth Avett on the Dreaming Creek Main Stage. 18. Floyd Music School’s Mike Mitchell and the Band on the Workshop Porch. 18. A main field scene. 19. Chupacabra, a band that festival co-founder Kris Hodges plays drums for. 20. Dancers in front of the Pink Floyd Garden Stage moving to My Radio, a Roanoke pop rock band. 21. Attendees pose for a selfie with My Radio.  / The Off the Record Friends and Family at Floydfest HERE.