Brandi Carlile, Kacey Musgraves, Fantastic Negrito, Phil Lesh and The String Cheese Incident top star-studded bill for 18th installment of the fest
By John Flannagan
At this point in FloydFest’s 18-year history, it’s safe to say the festival is run like a well-oiled, finely tuned machine. Since its inception in 2002, Floyd has grown from a regional cult following to national status, drawing fans from across the country to the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains. While the festival saw a shift to a younger audience demographic last year, thanks in part to Greta Van Fleet and Foster the People, festival organizers Across the Way Productions believe this year will see the traditional all-ages demographic.
FloydFest has experienced brisk ticket sales thus far, and it expects the wide demographic thanks in part to a star-studded, Grammy Award-winning lineup which features Brandi Carlile (who’s no stranger to Floyd), Kacey Musgraves and Fantastic Negrito, all of whom won Grammys in their respective categories this year. Throw in popular jammers The String Cheese Incident, Phil Lesh and Hot Tuna with rising alt-country stars Tyler Childers, Lukas Nelson and Jade Bird, it’s easy to see why FloydFest will capture a wide age range, as this lineup boasts a little something for everyone.
In addition to an eclectic lineup, FloydFest boasts the best scenery of any festival east of the Mississippi, thanks in part to the true headliner: the Blue Ridge Mountains. Once again, there will be nine stages of music, as well as the Children’s Universe, but new for 2019 will be the Bus Stop, a psychedelic-colored school bus that is transformed into a performance studio that will play host to recording sessions and more. And as always, FloydFest will host numerous outdoor adventure tours via the ENO Outdoor Adventure Headquarters, where thrill-seekers can experience mountain biking, various river activities, hiking and disc golf.
The “Voyage Home,” this year’s theme for the fest, promises to be one of the biggest years yet, as Chief Operating Officer Sam Calhoun told me this spring about the festival. “The buzz is feeling good, the lineup is amazing and sales are very robust. We feel blessed, and we have so many new art installations in the works and new surprises, so the site is going to look great.” If you haven’t scooped up your tickets yet, you better do so fast as this year will be another sell out. The festival begins today and runs through July 28. More info can be found at https://floydfest.com/.
