Second-year festival specializes in eclectic music and outdoor recreation
Long before the first note is played, each day of Catoosa Music and Adventure Festival will already be well underway. After starting with sunrise yoga, a festivalgoer could opt for a guided birdwatching hike followed by a short swim after kayaking. Somewhere in the middle of all this, or perhaps before heading to their first show, our enterprising attendee would be wise to take a quiet moment and appreciate their surroundings.
Music is the primary draw for Catoosa, to be held Sept. 4-6 in Jamestown, Tennessee, and the lineup is packed with both local and national acts over three days of shows. Adventure shares the bill with music, though, and the organizers were intentional about making the event a balance of wellness, activity, community and, of course, tunes.
Nestled on the eastern escarpment of the Cumberland Plateau, the site is brimming with natural beauty, lending itself perfectly to the vision of one of the festival’s purveyors, Phillip Emmert. The grounds were once a golf course that was in disrepair when the Emmert family first found the land. It was a labor of love to transform the plot into an event space and campground, but the layout provided some unexpected perks, including four miles of paved paths.
After opening the event space in 2020, the family hosted the first Catoosa Fest last year and is excited about the growing appeal of the festival and the continued connection that many visitors feel with the space. When asked about what sets Catoosa apart from other festivals, Emmert gushes, “Location, location, location. The land is the headliner of every event here. Once people come and experience it for the first time, they’re hooked.”
In addition to the music festival, the grounds have hosted weddings, healing retreats and To the Moon, Tennessee’s regional Burning Man event. While each of these events is undeniably diverse, their common thread is the value they place on a setting with distinct natural beauty. In this regard, the events hosted by Catoosa end up acting as a testament to the grounds themselves.
Lounging is never discouraged, but other options will abound during Catoosa Fest. The previously mentioned birdwatching hike is just one of many, with others focusing on medicinal plants and tree identification. A guided hike to the Eye of Catoosa (Tennessee’s third-largest natural bridge) is also planned. Along with sunrise yoga, there will also be guided meditation and a demonstration and talk about rock climbing on the plateau. A spring-fed five-acre lake, complete with a natural waterfall, is open for swimming.
The most striking natural features of the grounds are located in The Grotto, which Emmert describes as “some of the most beautiful rock formations this part of Tennessee has to offer” and which operates as the main stage area. After a morning of adventure (or lounging), The Grotto will offer a beautiful space to unwind and see some incredible music.
To make the most of The Grotto, festival musical curator Cruz Contreras has put together an eclectic lineup featuring local, regional and national acts. Including such variety was an intentional move because of his excitement for how it reflects on the regional music scene.
“One of my hopes for Catoosa is that it gives festival goers a unique taste of what makes Tennessee truly Tennessee,” Contreras explains. “There’s so much music created in our state and so many styles of artists. This year’s lineup will feature everything from bluegrass to indie rock, folk, soul, swing, cosmic country and pop.”
Even festival headliners Andy Frasco & The U.N., who are not from the region, have a genre-blending sound that should mesh well with all artists involved. They will cap off an eventful Friday night on the main stage, following shows by Angela Autumn, David Mayfield Parade and Cruz Contreras & The Black Lillies. Each night culminates with an open campfire jam in which artists collaborate in a cozier environment.
Saturday will feature a full afternoon, evening and night of shows starting with local favorite Sarrenna at 2 p.m. (check out her latest single “Excuses” wherever you stream music). As the sun gets lower in the sky, a half dozen bands spanning nearly as many genres will play The Grotto, and the day will even feature a two-steppin’ how-to courtesy of Jillian Taylor with Knox Moves.
The legendary Mic Harrison & The High Score will close things out on Sunday afternoon after shows from Anthony Adams and nightjar. There will be a picnic for family and friends following the final performance, followed shortly thereafter by a final campfire jam just after sundown.
With each day offering a distinct and varied experience, it would be safe to assume that booking would present its own challenges, but Contreras praises the support around him for making it all work.
“The process for curating the lineup has been super organic,” he says. “We have a team of folks working hard to put this all together, and while I spearhead the booking part of the operation, it’s really a group effort where everyone’s opinions and thoughts regarding the music are considered. One unique quality I bring to the table is a lifetime spent making music and touring as an artist. We want Catoosa to be an equally enjoyable experience for the fans, artists and staff alike.”
Ultimately, the festival is about community, togetherness and wellness, and this comes through strongly from both Emmert and Contreras. Each detail came together through inspiration followed by collaboration, creating an entirely unique event right in our own backyard. The event itself is not the be-all and end-all of the process, though, as the organizers have nobler aspirations.
Catoosa Music and Adventure Festival will also function as a benefit for XHunger, a nonprofit focused on ending hunger in America. It partners with local food pantries across the nation to help them get the funding and volunteers they desperately need to continue operating. Emmert mentions his admiration for the organization and says it has been an honor to work with it.
By the time Labor Day weekend comes to a close and the last guitar is put safely back in its case, attendees will be ready for it to start all over again. Between mornings spent outdoors and afternoons and evenings centered around music, all within an environment designed to bring people together, Catoosa will be an example of what a music festival should be much more than what most currently resemble. The music may bring the people to Catoosa, but the overall experience will resonate long after the music has ended.
britt@blanknews.com
