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COVID-19 Disrupts Virginia Tourism Ahead Of Peak Season

VCU CNS | April 15, 2020

Topics: American Shakespeare Center, Appalachian Trail, coronavirus, covid 19, Dominion Riverrock, friday cheers, Monticello Wine Trail, nonessential business, Shenandoah National Park, Top Shelf Transportation, unemployment, Venture Richmond, Virginia Department of Health, Virginia Tourism, Virginia Tourism Corp

With the threat of coronavirus keeping everyone at home this spring, Virginia’s tourism industry — a significant piece of the state’s overall economy — is taking a major hit. Can it weather the storm?

Michael Moore has always enjoyed his job as wine trail guide with Top Shelf Transportation. He said the job is about more than wine.

“I get people anything they need,” Moore said. “I’m like a rolling concierge.” 

Moore, 71, works in the Monticello Wine Trail region, which ecompasses parts of Albermarle and Nelson counties and contains about 35 wineries. It is widely considered to be one of Virginia’s top wine regions. Moore has worked in the industry for the past seven years, after he retired as a graphic designer. But, in mid-March, his tours were cancelled due to Gov. Ralph Northam’s order to close non-essential businesses and ban gatherings of 10 or more to combat the spread of COVID-19.

“I guess I’m out of a job,” Moore said. “The whole industry has come to a screeching halt.”

Moore is not alone, and COVID-19 has not just impacted jobs in the state’s tourism industry. Since Northam’s order, there has been a sharp spike in unemployment rates, with 306,143 Virginians filing for unemployment insurance in the past three weeks.

Overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains at Grayson Highlands State Park. Photo credit: Department of Conservation and Recreation

Moore is not worried about his finances, but many people in the tourism industry are not as lucky. 

“It’s tough,” he said. “Some of the bigger wineries, they’ve got a cushion, but their workers are out of work. And it’s all part-time workers.”

Travel spending in Virginia plummeted after stay-at-home orders were announced around the country, according to the U.S. Travel Association. Spending was $521 million in Virginia the first week of March, but dipped to $119 million by the end of the month. Compared to last year’s numbers, travel spending in the state was down 78 percent the last week in March. Tourism is a major source of revenue for Virginia, pulling in $26 billion in 2018, according to the Virginia Tourism Corp. The industry accounted for 234,000 jobs that year. 

Andrew Cothern, communications manager for VTC, said Virginia attracts so many tourists because it has something for everyone.

“Virginia has a lot of different travel opportunities, whether the traveler’s interested in history or outdoor recreation or dining,” Cothern said. “There’s a lot of different reasons why people want to come to Virginia.”

Cothern said that COVID-19 has changed everything. 

“With the COVID-19 crisis going on, a lot of people are not traveling, obviously, and it’s closed down a lot of business,” Cothern said. 

The businesses hardest hit will be the ones that usually attract large crowds, he said. This might include museums, theaters, parks, restaurants, and wineries. VTC and others in the tourism industryare working to make some of these experiences virtual and earn a little revenue. For example, the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton is streaming recorded versions of the troupe’s 2020 performances. Tickets start at $10. 

Moore, however, cannot work from home. He said companies like the one he works for may be in jeopardy. 

“There will be some wine tour companies that will go out of business,” he said. “They’ve all got leases and cars and insurance they still have to pay for, even when they’re not touring.” 

Dominion Riverrock. Photo by CNS

Large scale events have been affected, like the ones produced by Venture Richmond, a nonprofit that organizes events in downtown Richmond. Venture Richmond canceled Dominion Riverock, one of its largest festivals held on Brown’s Island. Stephen Lecky, director of events for the organization, said losing the festival was a disappointment to everyone, including vendors. Lecky said the festival draws 100,000 to 150,000 people annually and they contract with hundreds of musicians, athletes and other vendors. 

“All these folks, food vendors and traveling vendors included, will not have this event and it will impact them financially,” Lecky said. 

Lecky said that once a festival is cancelled potential revenue is gone.

“That’s $2 to $3 million that we won’t be seeing,” he said, meaning the city, musicians and vendors.

Lecky also is concerned about Friday Cheers, a weekly concert series that Venture Richmond organizes. The event typically draws 3,000 to 5,000 people to Belle Isle between May and June, Lecky said. Venture Richmond has cancelled events through May and hopes to reschedule those musicians for later in the summer, but Lecky is worried people will be wary of large crowds. 

“If a vaccine is not available to people by September, October — will people truly feel safe and comfortable in large crowds and events like this?” Lecky said. 

Lecky said in the future, event coordinators will have to be more careful. 

“Events are going to have to be more proactive on ways they are doing things,” he said. “Do events go cashless? Are employees wearing gloves? Are you sanitizing more frequently? I think attendees are going to want to see these kinds of changes now.”

 Though more people are turning to outdoor recreation during the coronavirus outbreak, Virginia state and national parks are closing. The Rappahannock Rapidan Health District of the Virginia Department of Health recommended on April 8 the full closure of Shenandoah National Park, which has over 500 miles of hiking trails. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy on April 3 formally requested permission to close the 2,193-mile trail through the end of the month. A long stretch of it winds through the state. 

Virginia State Parks have also taken a hit from COVID-19. The 38 parks attract 11 million visitors annually, with 45 percent of park spending coming from out-of-state visitors, according to Dave Neudeck, communications and marketing director for the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Neudeck said the parks have canceled campground and cabin reservations through June 10. They have also closed visitor centers. 

“It’s definitely going to hit our budget because the revenues generated from our overnight facilities and our merchandise sales in our visitor centers are significant,” Neudeck said. 

Waterfall along the cabin creek trail at Grayson Highlands State Park. Photo credit: Department of Conservation and Recreation

Neudeck is optimistic about the future of the parks and said this crisis might make people more appreciative of nature. 

“What we are seeing right now is that more people are looking to parks and state parks to get outside and get that fresh air and get some exercise when they can,” he said. “Therefore, we are seeing a lot of first time visitors to our parks. The hope is that we’ll continue beyond when everything turns back to normal.” 

For now, many are making the best of the crisis. Moore is making masks for health care professionals. Lecky is attempting to rebook vendors for later festivals. Cothern said VTC will increase promotional materials once people are allowed to travel freely. All agreed that the tourism industry is resilient and people will come back to Virginia.

Written by Macy Pressley, Capital News Service. Top Photo: A stop sign in the Blue Ridge mountains. Photo by CNS

Virginia Is For Queer Lovers, Too!

Eric Hause | October 4, 2019

Topics: Assateague, Assateague Explorer, Babe's of Carytown, Barcode, Blue Ridge Whiskey Wine Loop, Byrd Theatre, Captain Barry's Back Bay Cruises, Carytown, Chincoteague, Chincoteague Oyster Festival, Diversity Richmond, Garden And Sea Inn, Godfrey's, Hispanic Music Festival, Island House Restaurant, Key West Cottages, L'opossum, LGBT Travel, Linden Row Inn, Luray Caverns, Mallards At The Wharf, NASA, Oyster Farm at Kings Creek, Page County Heritage Festival, Piney Hill Bed and Breakfast, Quirk Hotel, Richmond Folk Festival, scotts addition, Shadow Mountain Escape, Shenandoah Valley, Skyland's Pollock Dining Room, Skyline Drive, Southeast Expeditions, The Edinburg Mill Restaurant, The Inn At Little Washington, Virginia Eastern Shore, Virginia Is For LGBT Lovers, Virginia is For Lovers, Virginia museum of fine arts, virginia museum of history and culture, Virginia Tourism, Viva RVA, Wallops Island, Weezie's Kitchen, Wirt Confroy

Our 2019 Fall Pride Guide, in collaboration with VA Pride, is out now! In this article from the magazine, Outwire 757 co-founder Eric Hause gives us a guide to planning your all-day, all-gay getaway with Virginia Tourism’s LGBT Travel Program!

Fifty years ago, a $100-a-week advertising copywriter named Robin McLaughlin at Richmond’s Martin & Woltz Inc. came up with a new travel advertising concept for a client. The client was the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the concept became the slogan “Virginia is for Lovers.” That slogan is now so iconic that it was voted one of the top ten tourism marketing campaigns of all time by Forbes Magazine.

That sort of heady success, however, hasn’t diminished the power of its message of love over those 50 years, and in 2016, our purple-ish state stepped into the modern age by adding a new component to that message: “Virginia is for LGBT Lovers.”

That year, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe’s LGBT Tourism Task Force and the Virginia Tourism Corporation publicly acknowledged the economic impact of LGBTQ travelers, and welcomed us to experience the Commonwealth.

There was some kind of kismet at work here. After all, in 1969 — the same year that Robin Mclaughlin came up with the Virginia slogan — the Stonewall Riots launched the Gay Rights movement. Back in those days, the LGBTQ community was still on the fringes of society. While Virginia’s queer population could gather safely at a smattering of bars and other gay-owned businesses, the Commonwealth, to say the least, was not known as a welcoming destination.

Godfrey’s is a restaurant and nightclub in Richmond that features premiere drag shows. Photo via Virginia Tourism Corporation

That’s all changed. Today’s queer road warriors can find hundreds of self-designated LGBTQ-friendly travel businesses and events in all corners of the Commonwealth. Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Director of Business Development, Wirt Confroy, is the man tasked with putting all the pieces together. He’s worked tirelessly with Tourism’s IT department, businesses, destinations, and event planners to catalogue and present them on the State’s tourism website.

When asked about what the program means to him, Confroy said, “It’s simple. LGBT visitors to Virginia now have access to queer-friendly places and experiences. They have a resource that helps them find the destinations, events, tractions and services that welcome them the most.”

So it is with the progressive efforts of many in mind that we present you with our Fall Queer Travel Guide to the Commonwealth. With Virginia Tourism’s help, we’ve carefully curated travel itineraries built around special events this autumn in three destinations: the Shenandoah Valley, the Eastern Shore, and Richmond. All you need do is gas up the automobile, get a few friends together, and hit the road for your big queer fall vacation in Virginia!

Shenandoah National Park is a beautiful, historic national treasure which includes the scenic 105-mile long Skyline Drive – a designated National Scenic Byway. Photo via Virginia Tourism Corporation

Head for the Hills: A Mountain Getaway

When you think of autumn travel in Virginia, one of the first destinations that comes to mind is Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah Valley. No doubt, leaf-peeping on a crystal clear brisk Blue Ridge day is a timeless exercise. As an extra bonus for queer folk, the Shenandoah is home to many friendly and exciting attractions, events, restaurants, and lodging.

Plan this year’s mountain getaway around the Page County Heritage Festival, the weekend of October 12- 13 in Luray. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Festival, and it’s a true slice of small-town farm life with a big-city progressive attitude. Highlights include live entertainment, Shenandoah Valley craftsmen and artisans, a delightful antique farm equipment show, and food. Oh, the food!

After the festival, head into the town of Luray for some exploring. Roadsnacks.com ranked the town as the 8th Gayest Place in Virginia for 2019 based on the percentage of same-sex households, so you’re bound to make some new friends.

The town itself is centered around a beautiful Historic District, but the famous Luray Caverns are the area’s top visitor attraction. This U.S. Natural Landmark holds the largest and most popular caverns in Eastern America. From well-lighted paved walkways, explore cathedral-sized rooms with ceilings 10 stories high, filled with towering stone columns and crystal-clear pools.

Luray Caverns, eastern America’s largest and most popular caverns. Photo via Virginia Tourism Corporation

If you’re more of a car warrior, take a ride on the nearby Blue Ridge Whiskey Wine Loop, a compact wine-tasting route that winds through the Northern Shenandoah valley. Recommended by Wine Enthusiast Magazine, the Loop features seven wineries, a whiskey distillery, antiques, dining, and the gorgeous natural scenery of the Shenandoah National Park.

You can hop off the Loop and onto Skyline Drive at several spots, and it’s worth the detour. Mid-October is prime leaf season, and the parkway has many overlooks with as many eye-popping photo ops as you can stand along its 105-mile length.

Where to Stay: For LGBTQ-friendly lodging in Luray, check out Piney Hill Bed & Breakfast and Cottages. Comprised of two private cottages and three guest rooms in the main house (a renovated 1800s farm house), the B&B is gay-owned and operated since 2000. It is also consistently ranked as the top inn in Luray each year.

The nearby Shadow Mountain Escape is billed as a romantic couple’s escape, and features modern and authentic European timber cottages adjacent to the Shenandoah National Park. Shadow Mountain is recommended as a Best place To Stay by Wine Enthusiast Magazine, and both properties are located on the Blue Ridge Whiskey Wine Loop.

The Inn at Little Washington is one of America’s finest restaurants and country inns. Photo via Virginia Tourism Corporation

Where to Eat and Drink: While exploring Skyline Drive, satisfy your appetite at Skyland’s Pollock Dining Room. Located right off Skyline Drive near Luray, Pollock’s specializes in Blue Ridge specialties made with farm-to-fork ingredients and served with incredible views of the Shenandoah Valley.

In the mood for a true special-occasion dining experience? Make a reservation at the Inn at Little Washington. The 2019 Michelin Guide awarded The Inn three stars, the only restaurant in the Northern Virginia region to receive the honor.

Just a few miles away, you’ll find a completely different dining experience at The Edinburg Mill Restaurant. Located in an 1848 Virginia Historical Landmark, the establishment specializes in rustic American style cuisine. And if you’re lucky, you’ll catch them on a day when some kickass local live music is on the calendar.

Chincoteague. Photo via Virginia Tourism Corporation

Take a Shore Break: A Seaside Escape

If autumn by the sea is more your style, turn your attention east to Virginia’s Eastern Shore. It’s probably not the first destination that springs to mind when you think of LGBTQ-friendly travel, but Governor Northam’s home base is a surprisingly progressive place with a thriving queer population, and many LGBTQ-owned and allied businesses. Plus, you can drive the entire length of the Virginia Eastern Shore in about two hours. It’s perfect for a day trip or a weekend getaway with great dining, eclectic antiquing and shopping, and exhilarating activities.

For seafood (and all food) lovers, start your visit at Chincoteague’s 47th Annual Oyster Festival on October 12. Founded to mark the hallowed arrival of oyster season, the event draws visitors from all over the mid-Atlantic. You don’t have to be an oyster lover to find something good to eat! Come enjoy clam fritters, clam chowder, shrimp, hot dogs, hush puppies, Boardwalk fries, and a cold beer.

Get your hands dirty on a boat tour of the waters surrounding Chincoteague with Captain Barry’s Back Bay Cruises Expeditions. But be prepared to get wet. On this cruise, you’ll dig for clams, pull crab pots, and haul in a trawler net to see what delights King Neptune has to offer.

Wild ponies from Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island.
Photo via
Virginia Tourism Corporation

Run with the wild horses and take a tour with Assateague Explorer’s Pony Express nature tours. You’ll be assured at least a glimpse of the famous equestrian population — or choose to be the captain of your own ship, and drift away on one of Southeast Expeditions’ kayak tours.

If the ocean isn’t for you, you can also be the pilot of your own spacecraft with a visit to the NASA facility at Wallops Island. Check their website for a schedule of rocket launches, and time your visit for a truly unforgettable experience.

Shop ‘til you drop at the hundreds of unique retail opportunities on the Shore. You can spend an entire day exploring the small towns and antique stores, flea markets, farmer’s and fish markets, art galleries, and specialty boutiques located on or just off the main highway.

On April 17th, 2019, the NG-11 Antares rocket launched from the Wallops Island Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia. Photo via Virginia Tourism Corporation

Where to Stay: The charming Garden and Sea Inn is just a few miles from Chincoteague. Transgender-owned and operated, the Inn is actually comprised of one modern home and two historic farmhouses that date back to the 1800s. The Inn is pet-friendly and sits on five gated acres of land, so there’s plenty of room to walk the dog.

If the sound of gentle waves luring you to sleep each night is your groove, Key West Cottages in Chincoteague is your spot. This charming row of modern pastel-hued cottages line the waterfront in the heart of downtown. Each cottage has a full kitchen and waterfront views, and all are within walking distance of the town’s restaurants, shopping, and attractions.

Where to Eat and Drink: When visiting the ocean, you want a taste of the ocean, and the Eastern Shore’s dining scene does not disappoint. The Island House Restaurant in Wachapreague has it all: fresh local seafood, award-winning Eastern Shore crab cakes, and a gorgeous view of Virginia’s barrier islands. Bring your boat! Slips and fuel are available.

Experience dockside dining a la the Keys at Mallards at the Wharf in Onancock. Johnny Mo, the musical chef, serves up his “all crab” crab cakes, famous jalapeño mussels, and mouthwatering filet mignon. You might even catch him strumming his guitar for guests!

Or head south to Cape Charles for a bayfront fine dining experience at Oyster Farm at Kings Creek, a casual oyster/raw bar and cocktail lounge. Flip flops and shorts allowed. Astounding sunsets are always on schedule.

Richmond’s Main Street Station (c 1901) is a historic railroad station, office building and Virginia Welcome Center. Photo via Virginia Tourism Corporation

Make it a Capital Affair: Fall Fun in Richmond

So the rural thing isn’t your cup of iced tea? Head to the Capital City for a totally urban experience. Richmond sometimes takes it on the chin for lacking in the diversity department, but we disagree. For example, in October 2019, two fantastic events celebrate the city’s distinct rainbow hue.

On October 5, come explore your inner Latin diva at the Viva RVA! Hispanic Music Festival. This exciting celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month honors Virginia’s Latinx LGBTQ community. Viva RVA! is a free family-friendly event at Diversity Richmond, and features authentic Hispanic music, food, dancing, and live music.

The Richmond Folk Festival on downtown Richmond’s waterfront is the following weekend, on October 11-13. The festival presents the very finest traditional musical artists from across the nation, with 25 performances ranging from bluegrass and Cajun to Indian and African music. Don’t forget to head over to the Festival Marketplace, and shop authentic crafts from over 20 international artisans.

Festivals aren’t the only way to taste the Richmond rainbow. The Virginia Museum of History & Culture does a great job of cataloguing America’s diverse past by interpreting the unparalleled story of Virginia. In fact, their signature exhibition The Story of Virginia recently added an LGBTQ chapter to the 16,000 years of Virginia history it covers.

With a collection of art that spans more than 5,000 years, plus a wide array of special exhibitions, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is recognized as one of the top comprehensive art museums in the United States. Photo via Virginia Tourism Corporation

While we’re on the museum tour, a visit to the nearby Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is a must. But be prepared: there’s a lot to see, and you’ll want to see it all. In fact, The Wall Street Journal recently declared the Museum a two-day affair. With over 5,000 years of art from around the world, take your time to explore exhibitions ranging from Fabergé and Russian Decorative Arts to their most recent addition, Edward Hopper and the American Hotel.

If you still have the strength, head over to Carytown for some of the most eclectic shopping and dining in RVA. The heart of Richmond’s gayborhood is only one street long, but you’ll be surprised at the variety of shops, boutiques, restaurants, and food stores in this nine-block shopping area. Don’t forget to check the schedule at the Byrd Theatre. In the past, the Byrd has presented LGBTQ programming with icons such as John Waters and their popular MonGays Movie Festival during Pride month.

Quirk Hotel is in an ideal location in the heart of downtown Richmond’s dynamic arts and design district, surrounded by small galleries, unique boutiques, inspiring architectures and an explosive culinary scene. Photo via Virginia Tourism Corporation

Where To Stay: The Quirk Hotel in downtown Richmond lives up to its name. With its original artwork, eclectic design sensibility, and location in the middle of downtown Richmond’s Arts District, it is indeed out of the ordinary. Voted by US News and World Report as one of the country’s top hotels for 2019, Quirk is an experience that will please even the most jaded traveler.

For a more traditional Richmond experience, stay at the Linden Row Inn. This National Register hotel is comprised of seven row houses, built in the mid-1800s and meticulously restored. Guest rooms are furnished with antiques from the middle and late 1800s. Trivia alert: Edgar Allan Poe spent his childhood playing in the hotel’s garden courtyard.

Where To Eat and Drink: We have one word for you, and it’s French: L’Opossum. Chef David Shannon will tell you that his definition is “tongue-in-cheek faux French presented as delightful whimsy on the menu, but seriously delicious cuisine on the plate.” Gay-owned and operated, L’Opossum was named the Southern Living Magazine’s 2018 Best Restaurant. In the whole South.

If Southern home cooking makes your stomach growl, take a seat at Weezie’s Kitchen in Carytown. This is lip-smacking fare at its most fattening and delicious. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner, a meal at Weezie’s is a culinary experience of its own.

Scott’s Addition Foodie and Arts District is the newest and hippest food and drink destination in town, and this National Historic District has become the brewing center of Richmond. Within walking distance, you’ll find breweries and cideries interspersed with hip lofts and eclectic restaurants.

Virginia’s first urban cidery, Blue Bee Cider is located in the heart of Scott’s Addition in Richmond. Photo via Virginia Tourism Corporation

If you’re looking for a superb drag brunch, Godfrey’s is the queen. It’s home to Richmond’s most famous drag brunch, with two seatings on Saturday and Sunday. Godfrey’s also doubles as a mixed bar in the evenings and hosts special events most nights.

And if you’re craving a little socializing with your people, Babes of Carytown and Barcode are two of the best queer nightlife spots in town.

Visit Virginia.org/lgbt for a comprehensive list of Virginia’s LGBT-friendly travel destinations, businesses, and events.

Top Photo Courtesy of Virginia Tourism Corporation

LOCKN’ 2019: A Family Reunion

Nicholas Daily | September 16, 2019

Topics: Appalachia, Blue Ridge Mountains, Bluegrass, events, festivals, grateful dead, indie, interlockn, lockn, Lockn Festival, nicholas daily, travel, Virginia Tourism

The seventh annual LOCKN’ festival proved that this Blue Ridge Mountain weekend has something for everyone, not just Deadheads and hippies.

Growing up in Lynchburg, Virginia has taught me a lot of things. It made me appreciate the Blue Ridge Mountains, bluegrass music, the beautiful scenery, the diverse environment, and the southern hospitality that Virginia has to offer. Granted, there are things I don’t care for, but as I grow older, I find myself appreciating it much more. I suppose it’s bittersweet. 

There’s a certain serenity to the area that I appreciate. There’s nothing like breathing in the mountain air, experiencing the wildlife, walking through the diverse forests, and diving into the winding rivers or local watering hole that quite soothes the soul like it.

The inaugural edition of LOCKN’ — then known as Interlockn’ Music Festival — was announced seven years ago. With great acts such as Furthur featuring Bob Weir and Phil Lesh, The String Cheese Incident, Widespread Panic, Black Crowes, and so many other bands that I loved set to play less than an hour away from my hometown, I couldn’t believe it. It was almost too good to be true.

Before going to LOCKN’, I feared I would be greatly disappointed by the reality not living up to my expectations. If anything, it was the opposite. My experiences through this festival have shaped my life in ways that I can’t even explain. Being around all of my friends, amazing music, and right in my backyard was the recipe for a life-changing experience.

Today, there are not many festivals that make me happier than LOCKN’. Maybe I’m biased because I have lived most of my life in the Blue Ridge Mountains, or because I’m an avid fan of The Grateful Dead and other similar artists, but I have fallen in love with this festival. Plus, getting away from the hustle and bustle of living in Richmond is a nice escape.

But honestly, this festival is not just for Deadheads and hippies. There’s something for everyone. With a vast range of genres and once-in-a-lifetime collaborations, it’s a festival where you can go from rocking out with your elders to having your elders rock out with you. This year’s edition of LOCKN’, held Aug. 22-25, featured acts such as Vulfpeck. This band’s hard-bassline math-rock-esqe witty funky jams sound like what I can best describe as Dick Dale on acid, and they have a playful sarcasm that will get everyone around you dancing and prancing like a unicorn.

Then there was Khruangbin (which in Thai translates to airplane, or literally “engine-fly”), hailing from Texas, who had a go-go-dancing funky Thai rock fusion and were joined by a sit-in collaboration from Phish front-man and guitarist Trey Anastasio. They’ll have you whisked away on an airplane to funky town, and feeling like you’re on the set of a Quentin Tarrentino movie.

There was also St. Paul & The Broken Bones, from Birmingham, Alabama, whose soulful gospel-like brass and retro soul music will transport you into a serendipitous 50’s and 60’s present day. Leader Paul Janeway’s ridiculously awesome stage antics and opera-like vibrato pull you into a performance that rivals an Elton John show.

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong was joined by Cory Wong of Vulfpeck. Mind-melting guitar solos and funk overload had me shaking my booty to their psychedelic jam funk. They were reminiscent of Parliament-Funkadelic with a new flair for stage antics, like stage synchronized swimming with an anecdotal hilarity.

For the nocturnal folks, late night over at the bright dayglo neon Garcia’s Forest hosted acts such as Circles Around The Sun, an instrumental jam band with a wild juxtaposed composure, sounding like Booker T. & The M.G.s and the Grateful Dead’s jams mashed together. On Friday night, Galactic’s funky jazz electronic fusion brings with it a dance party to remember. Saturday had Soullive ft. Infinity Horns, an awesome bluesy soul-jazz and jam fusion.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I could go into all of the amazing performances and collaborations that happened throughout the weekend, but really, for me, the best part of going to LOCKN’ is not just the music — it’s the community. I’ve been going to music festivals for over a decade, and this is the only one where I can both bump into people I grew up with from my hometown that I haven’t seen in over five years, and make new friends that I continue to bump into each year. It brings this familiarity of a family reunion — but one where everyone feels like your family.

Here’s an example of what I’m talking about: I lost my wallet on the Saturday night of the festival, and was really distraught by it. Worrying about having to sit in the dreaded DMV, and waste my life away on countless automated phone lines trying to replace all of my credit cards, almost ruined the night for me. But I pushed it out of my mind, hoping that there are good people out there.

The next day, I went down to their Lost and Found, and sure enough, my wallet was waiting for me. It even had the cash and everything else the way I had left it. Inside, a small note was tucked in, saying “Happy Lockn! – Anonymous.” It gave me a reignited hope for humanity.

There’s a certain sense of community at LOCKN’ that you won’t find anywhere else. People are smiling, dancing with each other, helping each other out, and creating lasting memories that leave you eagerly waiting for LOCKN’ to come back around again.

I can’t wait for next year’s family reunion.

Photos by August J. Heisler IV of August J. Photography

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

Behind the Scenes of Virginia’s Burgeoning Film Industry

Ash Griffith | August 3, 2018

Topics: Homeland, Lincoln, Mercy Street, TURN: Washington Spies, Virginia Film Industry, Virginia Film Office, Virginia Tourism

Welcome to Virginia, motherland of presidents, a craft beer mecca, and in recent years, a burgeoning home for major motion pictures and television series.

Virginia has always been a low key place for the film industry to come knocking when it needed a location. Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” was shot right here in the River City, along with the Showtime CIA drama “Homeland,” AMC’s “Turn: Washington Spies,” and PBS’ Civil War flick “Mercy Street.” “Wonder Woman 1984″ is currently in production in Alexandria, and VMI in Lexington served as the location for the 1938 film “Brother Rat.” What was once a well-kept secret spot to film an indie film or a commercial is quickly becoming a go-to destination for Hollywood’s biggest features.

Image may contain: 2 people, people standing, hat, beard, tree and outdoor
Turn: Washington’s Spies, Photo: Virginia Production Alliance

But why are so many filmmakers flocking to the area all of a sudden? Part of it is our geographic backdrop. Like a beautiful chameleon in a James Bond film, Virginia’s landscape can, with a snap, easily become almost anywhere and everywhere. “Homeland” shot its seventh season in Richmond and used most of the city to play the part of Washington D.C.

Image may contain: sky and outdoor
Virginia Film Office

“Virginia’s always had amazing locations, beautiful views, just really interesting buildings and streets, and cities and towns,” said local filmmaker Jai Jamison of the region. “I think they often say that Virginia can really play as anything, except maybe a desert. But you’ve got the beach, you’ve got mountains, you’ve got forests, you got cities, you’ve got all sorts of opportunities in Virginia, so filmmakers have always loved coming here.”

Jamison is a Richmond native who studied film at Oxford University and is the writer/director behind the forthcoming short, “Slave Cry,” a contemporary film set in his home city. He’s also worked on the set of “Lincoln.” And while that was one of his favorite pieces, he stressed that Virginia filmmaking is not just for period pieces.

Slave Cry

“There’s just so much that Virginia has to offer than just the historical stuff, ” Jamison said. “But, I’m happy that those exist and that we had those, but there are just so many more stories to tell.”

Although bringing filmmakers to Virginia costs money, the Commonwealth receives a major return on investment. From paying crews and actors to shoot in the state to Daniel Day-Lewis grabbing a bite at local spots, to stars settling in at Quirk Hotel, to something as simple as buying a sandwich from Ellwood Thompson’s, when film crews bustle into the state, Virginians makes money. According to a 2016 report by Mangum, an independent Glen Allen-based economics firm, the film industry contributed 4,287 full-time-equivalent jobs, $215 million in labor income, $697 million in economic output, and over $85 million in total tax revenue, of which $27 million was state and local tax revenue.

Gov. Ralph Northam announced earlier this year that “Homeland” produced upwards of $45 million in direct spending in the Commonwealth, representing the largest single production expenditure in Virginia history. Over its four years filming in Virginia, the TV series “Turn: Washington’s Spies” spent over $100 million. Most recently, Virginia Tourism paid “The Bachelorette” $536,000 to film in Richmond according to a Richmond-Times Dispatch article published this month. 

Image result for homeland youtube
Claire Danes in Homeland

But how can the state sustain this level of investment, and keep bringing in big film-makers, despite not being a destination on par with New York City or Atlanta, Georgia?

The answer may be easier than we think. Virginia Film Office President Andy Edmunds said the way to keep the state film industry growing is through television series and indie filmmaking.  Even though TV shows generally have a lower budget than films, having the consistent revenue would make a much larger drop in our money jar than maybe larger budget productions like “Wonder Woman.”

“Series is the way to build the ongoing industry. I’d love to have two big network series going in Richmond, two in Norfolk, two in Northern Virginia, then we’d become the real deal in production,” Edmunds said.

Edmunds has been with the Virginia Film Office for 17 years. He originally got into film through the music business as a singer/songwriter. During his time with the film office, one specific sector he’s seen a major impact from the film industry is the state restaurant scene.  

“I believe that the fact that high-profile productions were here and patronizing the earlier kind of iconic restaurant scene we had,” he said. “It helped to add to that explosion of the culinary scene here too. At the end of the day, it’s all about the food, just like any other industry.”

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“Blue Ruin” Photo By; Virginia Film Office

Los Angeles and New York, while forever prosperous, are becoming old news as the new giant that is Atlanta builds its foundation as the place to be on the East Coast for filmmaking. With blockbuster films and television series such as “Avengers: Infinity War” (and really the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe), Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” and AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” Atlanta is a force that’s here to stay. However, is Virginia on its way to becoming the next behemoth in filmmaking?

“We are in the position where we could become a major film destination, but really frankly, you have to have the economic environment on the ground,” Edmunds said. “When you have 6.5 versus 600 you’re not going to become Atlanta. At the end of the day, you’re buying jobs, and the question is but at what cost?”

Edmunds elaborated that Georgia made the economic decision, much like Canada, to really buy the industry. Vancouver and Toronto specifically are major film-making destinations.

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TURN: Washington Spies, Virginia Production Alliance

“Virginia; Richmond in particular, is really suited for it because of the entire creative class here,” Edmunds continued. “All of this creative arts energy just really sets us up, combined with this cinematic palette, we could rule. The one thing that kills us though is Atlanta has 22 direct flights a day to LA.”

While this isn’t as much of an issue in Northern Virginia with airports such as Dulles, it still causes a bit of an inconvenience for Richmond.

There is a benefit to having more high-profile projects coming to the state on a more personal level. Once upon a time, film students at Virginia Commonwealth University or Old Dominion University would have to prepare themselves to move to New York City or Los Angeles upon graduation to continue their craft. Now, there is more promise for staying home if that’s the route they choose.

“If you’re a hard worker, there’s opportunity and a place for you,” said local filmmaker Keith Jackson. “When Homeland came here, every episode, every director or producer would have a shadow. They would encourage locals who were aspiring filmmakers to come on set and see how things were done. I thought that was a very beneficial thing.”

Jackson is an aspiring director who followed his heart to film because of a life-long love of storytelling. As a graduate of ODU, working on projects such as “Loving” has also given him some insight as to why Virginia stays busy: tax incentive.

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“I think that really encouraged the industry to come here and make high-quality projects at a price that’s fair,” Jackson said.

The Virginia General Assembly passed the Motion Picture Tax Credit bill back in 2010, making productions eligible for reimbursement for a portion of filming costs through refundable income tax credits. The Virginia Film Office offered up $700,000 in a grant and up to $6.5 million in tax credits for “Homeland” to film in Virginia. With these sort of incentives, Jackson hopes that will spur more indie filmmakers and even bigger films to consider producing their works here. 

“Hopefully it continues to grow [for] aspiring filmmakers from here to do their projects and tell their stories. All of these shows coming here gives us the experience and the knowledge to do that,” he added. 

Virginia has always been a beautiful state, filled with potential narratives outside of a bucket full of dead presidents and the Civil War. The only difference now is that the world is finally understanding what we have known all along: we are not just the diamond in the rough, we are a beautiful landscape with an anthology of stories to tell.

Top Photo: Virginia Film Office

Overcoast Music Drops New Video For Virginia Tourism Campaign Featuring Inter Arma

Sarah Honosky | January 25, 2018

Topics: Byrd Park Pumphouse, Inter Arma, metal, Overcoast Music, Virginia Is For Lovers Campaign, Virginia Tourism

In a newly released video by Overcoast Music, the “Virginia is for Lovers” campaign goes metal with an eight-minute long performance by homegrown Richmond metal band, Inter Arma.

At first glance, the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) seems comedically juxtaposed against the sludge metal sound of Inter Arma, but a closer look at Richmond’s rich history of metal music, and its central role in the metal and punk scene makes it clear why this is such a good fit.

“Richmond is a huge metal and punk capital,” said Andrew Cothern, communications manager for VTC. “We really want to share that with the traveler.”

VTC is releasing four videos in conjunction with Overcoast, an international music, and sound studio, as a part of their Overcoast Sessions series. “The real purpose was to showcase more genres,” said Cothern. “When you think about Virginia you think of country and bluegrass, and while we do have amazing country and bluegrass musicians, we also have a lot more.”

Overcoast PR/marketing coordinator David Waltenbaugh grew up in Richmond and has been a fan of the metal scene for most of his life.

“One of the things that not a lot of people know is that Richmond has a really, really incredible reputation for heavy music,” said Waltenbaugh, “Dating back to hardcore and punk bands in the 80s.”

Internationally known metal band GWAR got their start in Richmond in 1984, achieving mainstream notoriety in the 90s and a dedicated cult following. Grammy-nominated metal icon Lamb of God is also from Richmond, one of the most recognizable names to come out of American metal. Despite its Southern roots, Richmond’s sound is a fusion of metal, punk, and rock, it’s an amalgamation of varied music cultures, far from the Virginia stereotype of bluegrass and Americana.

“When you meet someone from New York and you say you’re from Virginia, I think they automatically assume you play the banjo,” said JL Hodges, creative director and one of the founders of Overcoast Music. “But in every genre of music, Virginia has a wealth of talent.”

Overcoast shot and filmed Inter Arma live on-location in the Byrd Park Pump House, a 140-year-old stone building on the bank of the James, an epic example of late-19th century Gothic Revival architecture. Inter Arma performed on a raised platform of brick and stone between canals of rushing water, the mess of wires and soundboards a further contrast against the traditionally off-limits historical site.  

“Most people have never been in there, certainly never played music in there,” said Hodges. “You feel like you’re in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ lair, Splinter is watching over everyone.”

Despite the unrelenting cicadas, an audience of only a handful of crew, and the 90-degree early August heat, Hodges said that Inter Arma played “An Archer in the Emptiness,” from their latest album Paradise Gallows, like they were in front of a sold-out crowd.

“One of the things that blew me away was that Inter Arma played an eight-minute song, and they did it in the first take,” said Waltenbaugh. “In the very end of the video, as it fades over to the Virginia is for Lovers [sticker], you can hear the drummer, T.J., go ‘Well, I guess we’re done here,’ and they just packed their stuff up and left.”

Overcoast Sessions plans to release 12 episodes featuring a variation of music and genres. Four of the videos will be produced in support of the VTC, an effort to showcase diverse Virginia music and venues.

“The partnership with VTC was one that was a pretty natural partnership,” said Waltenbaugh. “In addition to focusing on the performances themselves and the artists, it’s always been a goal to have them in interesting locations.”

“There are a lot of really cool video series here–like Good Day RVA, they do it really well, and there’s another one that my friend Scott Lane does called RVA Track,” said Hodges. “We were always trying to find ways to make what we do be slightly different.”

“It’s a good thing for a big tourism council to be associated with something like what we’re doing,” said Hodges. “What we’re doing is, for lack of a better word, non-commercial. Most of us were musicians, and are musicians, and we have this opportunity to create a platform for really talented people.”

You can catch Inter Arma in Charlottesville at The Southern on March 9.

 

RVA #26: The birth of ‘Virginia Is for Music Lovers’ and the campaign’s impact on tourism

Doug Nunnally | November 21, 2016

Topics: RVA 26, Viginia is For Music Lovers, Virginia is For Lovers, Virginia Tourism

“Virginia Is For Lovers.”

This succinct ad rolled out in 1969 and in the almost fifty years since, it has become one of the most iconic marketing campaigns of all time with numerous awards, museum inclusions, and hall of fame inductions. It has given Virginia a concrete identity that will far outlive its inventive creators and has helped spark many aspects of the state economy by concisely advertising what we have in store for potential tourists. This year, Virginia Tourism wants to take that slogan just a bit further, with a focus on a specific lover they believe Virginia is truly for: Music Lovers.
[Read more…] about RVA #26: The birth of ‘Virginia Is for Music Lovers’ and the campaign’s impact on tourism

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