BIG STONE GAP – Cars with license plates from Virginia, Tennessee, Michigan and other states along the streets near Big Stone Gap’s Bullitt Park testified to the continued popularity of blue Highway Fest.
Saturday marked the fourth day of the festival’s fourth annual gathering of regional and national bluegrass music favorites in the town, and organizers say the attendance continues to grow.
“Advance ticket sales through Friday were up by 10 percent from last year,” said festival coordinator George Roat, “and that doesn’t include walk-up ticket buyers. We had a crowd Friday night that went from the goal line past the 50-yard line.”
Saturday’s round by the noon performance start had also reached mid field for a lineup including Dark Moon Hollow, Carson Peters and Iron Mountain, festival namesake blue Highway, Wood Box Heroes, John Meador, The Castellows and Chayce Beckham.
Roat said the festival has been fortunate to develop a following of artists that have returned each year – Dan Tyminski, Ed Snodderly, Beth Snapp, Ralph Stanley II and the Clinch Mountain Boys, Beth Snapp – and nationally-known favorites like Rhonda Vincent and the Rage on Wednesday.
“The town has been great this year and every year in helping us organize the festival,” said Roat. “We couldn’t do this without them.”
Sunny skies and spring-like temperatures through the week helped attendance and kept things comfortable into the evenings, Roat added.
“The weather definitely has cooperated,” Big Stone Gap Town Manager Steve Lawson said between checking on vendor stations, backstage needs and event staff.
blue Highway Fest made a shift from Bullitt Park to a combination of downtown events, “pickin’ tents” at various businesses around town for after-hours music and setting up a downtown stage for weekday events before the main performances at Bullitt Park. Lawson said that has helped expose festival goers to the town’s restaurants, shops and other attractions.
Volunteer John Schoolcraft manned the town visitors center a former Gulf service station and “Carmine’s Restaurant” for the 2014 movie “Big Stone Gap.” He fielded questions from a visitor, pointing to the booth where Ashley Judd and Patrick Wilson appeared in a scene. Outside the center, movie cast members left their handprints in concrete for the movie’s grand opening.
Mackenzie Peters – wife of Iron Mountain bandleader and fiddler Carson Peters – was busy Saturday setting up a table of CD’s, t-shirts and other merchandise.
“I’m usually on the road with Carson on weekends, but we’re taking a weekend off soon to go to New York and watch others perform,” she said with a grin.
blue Highway Fest wraps up Sunday with Gospel Day at Bullitt Park starting at 2 p.m., with blue Highway, Authentic Unlimited and The Isaacs headlining.
Online - https://bluehighwayfest.com