Break out your banjos and clogging shoes! Roots music players and lovers of all ages will converge on sleepy Mount Solon, Virginia this month for the Red Wing Roots Festival.
Break out your banjos and clogging shoes! Roots music players and lovers of all ages will converge on sleepy Mount Solon, Virginia this month for the Red Wing Roots Festival. Red Wing Roots will have 40 acts playing on four stages over three days, organizer Jeremiah Jenkins said, so “there’s a little bit of something for everyone.”
The genre of roots music covers a broad range of traditional American musical styles, including bluegrass, country, gospel and blues. Red Wing acts will run the gamut of the American songbook, Jenkins said, ranging from the young hipsters of Brooklyn alt-country band Yarn to the Cajun rockers of The Revelers of Louisiana, veteran bluegrass musician Peter Rowan, and all manner of acts in between.
Red Wing Roots Festival was founded last year by Shenandoah Valley natives The Steel Wheels, who serve as the host band, along with their friends Jenkins and Michael Weaver. “All of us just kept having this conversation about ‘Why are all the great festivals somewhere else?'” Jenkins said. “We’d love to do one in the Shenandoah Valley.” After the “tremendous success” of the inaugural effort, Jenkins said that they’re expecting more attendance this year.
Perhaps one of the most appealing aspects of the festival will be its family friendliness – children under 12 get free admission, Jenkins said, and there will be a full slate of kids activities, including crafting, wildlife viewing and Appalachian storytelling, as well as a stage for mostly children’s concerts. “We wanted to shape the festival that would be enjoyable by everyone,” Jenkins said.
The second annual Red Wing Roots Festival takes place July 11-13 at The Natural Chimneys Park and Campground in Mount Solon, Virginia. Tickets, parking passes and camping permits can be purchased at http://www.redwingroots.com/tickets/.
