A very good judge of how well you know us, is if you know where we go EVERY year the 3rd weekend in September! Some of you know exactly what I'm talking about before I even say it!
BLUEGRASS!! (officially known as the Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival) But for those thousands who attend who are NOT local, they just call it "WINFIELD". For those of you who don't know, I grew up in Winfield..so the festival is in my blood! And Dave was hooked the first year I took him when we were dating in college.
BLUEGRASS!! (officially known as the Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival) But for those thousands who attend who are NOT local, they just call it "WINFIELD". For those of you who don't know, I grew up in Winfield..so the festival is in my blood! And Dave was hooked the first year I took him when we were dating in college.
We are already getting geared up for this year's festival and are counting down the days! So I thought I'd flashback to some previous years of bluegrass to help you all understand just a little of what we enjoy!
Stage 5, our favorite.
Plant your chair in the shade and be entertained all day! This is NOT one of the main stages that are inside the gates, it is a stage that has been created out in the camping area and this is where we have come to know some of our favorite performers!Last year, Taylor experienced bluegrass for the first time. This will be a special year with BOTH of our little ones with us!
This is another of our favorite stages, Stage 2...on the hill.
This is another of our favorite stages, Stage 2...on the hill.
I can't even begin to tell you how much of a relaxing weekend this is...camping, enjoying music, eating food and enjoying the fall weather! So relaxing, you can lay back and catch a nap right in the middle of it all....well, unless you have an 11 month crawling all over you.
This is my all-time favorite performer...Tom Chapin. I have been listening to him for as long as I can remember. He is a folk singer. So the BLUEGRASS festival is not just bluegrass. You'll actually find a lot of different kinds of music there! Tom Chapin is the brother of late Harry Chapin, who sings "Cats in the Cradle". Love that song!Tom and another fellow folk singer, John McCutcheon are 2 of the most popular performers every year! From kids songs, to story songs, songs about politics and baseball, and family....these guys are the best and I can't wait for Taylor and Mason to enjoy them too!
So for those of you who THINK you would have NO interest in attending a music festival such as this...you should JUST TRY IT OUT! We have talked to so many people who never even thought they were the "bluegrass type" (whatever that type is) who end up loving it! AND, although we do enjoy most of the music, we've even heard LOTS say that you don't even have to like the music...it is just THAT great of an atmosphere and weekend! Once you go, you will be hooked!
One of the neatest things about bluegrass is coming back together with your "bluegrass friends" every year. My parents have a crew that meets every year....they are mostly from Arkansas, but some are from other places too. I love seeing our friends every year and catching up the major happenings of the past year. Which for us....that has mostly been BABIES!
Every year Dave and I say that we WISH we could get some friends to go along too....just to try it out, and get hooked and go back with us every year. The friends that I used to go to bluegrass with before college and families and such, have moved away and just don't make the trip back anymore. So we are on the mission to bring some friends along (I think the Sweigarts are the lucky ones this year!) and then adding more and more friends each year. So in a few years, we TOO will have our "favorite camping spot" and our "crew" that we spend the weekend with.
SO, if you think you might be up for probably the BEST WEEKEND YOU'VE HAD IN A LONG TIME....then you should join us! You can check out the official website at http://www.wvfest.com/
2 comments:
:) YAY for Bluegrass! See you there.
Hi Amanda! I wish we still lived in Newton! Brad and I love bluegrass but never made it to Winfield when we lived there! It would be so fun to go with you! And it would be great to get our little 5 month olds together! I can't believe how big they're getting! I'm planning to come to KS the last weekend in August and maybe stop in at Slate Creek. Maybe you could come by then, too! I'll be in touch about that. Take care!
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