Ever need a break from the grind? The Dreamweavin' Floydfest in Floyd, Va., (894 Rock Castle Gorge Road) on July 27-31 is described as a "five-day workweek, minus the work and way more awesome," according to the 2016 website.
Join a community of environmentalists, music fans, outdoor enthusiasts and musicians for five days of folk music, workshops and adventures and a vacation you're sure to remember. Purchase tickets before July 1 for early bird pricing.
Since 2002, Floydfest has been gathering together folk music fans to participate in a festival geared toward building awareness and stewardship for the community and nature of the Appalachian Mountains. The festival invites families and friends to enjoy music on nine stages and participate in activities in pop-up villages sprawled over 80 acres within the Blue Ridge Mountains.
This year's lineup includes The Gregg Allman Band, Warren Haynes Ashes & Dust, Railroad Earth, Nahko & Medicine for the People, Leftover Salmon, Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers, Shakey Graves, The Midatlantic, The Wood Brothers, Femi Kuti & Positive Force, Elephant Revival and others.
Along with a plethora of great music, the festival will have several villages set up for workshops, activities and fun, as well as a Pink Floyd Beer & Wine Garden. The Healing Arts Village will host yoga classes, medicinal and edible herbs walks, ecstatic dance, massage therapy and other healing practices classes. Plenty of hands-on learning will take place around the Workshop Porch. The Children's Universe will encourage the young ones to participate in the Peace Parade, face-painting, hooping, yoga, balloon art and other fun games. There will even be a Teen Scene with mixed media workshops, mindful meditation classes, ukulele lessons, jam sessions and a chill zone.
For the adventure seekers, there are hiking trails, slack lines, a free 5K trail running race, a disc golf course and a mountain bike trail (with free bike rental from Starlight Bicycles) on the festival grounds. On The Water will be selling tickets for kayaking, canoeing and tubing down the Little River for $45-$60. The "Belcher Mountain Beat Down" will be a guided 19-mile mountain bike ride by the Merry Moonstompers that takes place on Saturday, July 30, for $45 and includes lunch and a shuttle to the starting point. A portion of the cost will be donated to the I.C. Dehart Memorial Park Trail Fund.
Ticket prices for the five-day Floydfest vary depending on camping preferences and the amount of days you wish to attend. Prices will increase on July 1. General admission will cost $240-$270 before July. Single day admission costs $95. Three- and four-day tickets and tent passes are available between $205 and $250.
For groups, the festival also offers bundle ticket, parking and camping prices. For example, the five-Day HOV-EZ Pass Bundle costs $1,160 for four adult passes, two children's passes (ages 6-12), parking pass on-site for a high occupancy vehicle and two tent passes.
Appalachian Voices partners with Floydfest to encourage the preservation of the surrounding wilderness by encouraging sustainable energy practices in the southeastern United States. Ticket purchasers can donate $1 to the nonprofit, which will be matched by festival coordinators, Across the Way Productions. Food donations will also be collected during the festival for FloydFeast.
Don't have the cash to foot the bill? Volunteers are encouraged to apply to work for 20 hours during or after Floydfest in exchange for a ticket.
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