FLOYD MUSIC & ARTS UNITE FOR ANOTHER SPECTACULAR CELEBRATION
The second annual Floyd Living Traditions Festival returns Saturday, August 24, 2024 10a-6p at the Floyd Center for the Arts. Sponsored by Skyline National Bank, the free event is proudly sponsored by the Floyd Center for the Arts in partnership with The Floyd Country Store’s Handmade Music School.
Featuring nearly 70 artists, demonstrations sponsored by Floyd Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram will run continuously throughout the day, including basketry, chair making, corn husk dolls, broom-making, luthiery, spinning and weaving, blacksmithing, woodworking, pottery, soap making, candle making, letterpress, limber-jack dolls, quilting, tin type photography, and storytelling.
“Our festival aims to bring together the entire community, fostering a shared appreciation for our collective artistic and cultural heritage,” says Keela Dooley Marshall, Executive Director of the Floyd Center for the Arts.
There will be 7 top-tier musical performances on the outdoor stage, 5 interactive song and dance lectures on the indoor stage, and 3 curated exhibitions in FCA galleries. Visitors can also participate in 30-minute workshops throughout the day to delve deeper into the arts and crafts demonstrated. Workshop information and registration can be found online.
The Handmade Music School has curated a dynamic lineup of top-tier musicians on the outdoor stage, featuring Willard Gayheart & Scott Freeman, Larry Sigmon & The Virginia Girls, the Lua Project, Little River Missionary Baptist Church Choir, a Tribute to the Korn Kutters with Mac Traynham & George Slusher with Old Church Gallery, New River Wranglers Stringband, and Handmade Music School students.
“The festival offers a unique space for music and art to unite people, allowing us to experience and preserve these cherished traditions,” says Dylan Locke, Executive Director of the Handmade Music School and owner of the Floyd Country Store.
The indoor stage sponsored by Floored LLC, audiences will see, learn and be invited to join in performances by the Floyd Historical Dancers, Floyd Contra Dancers, Adam Booth’s Appalachian storytelling, flatfoot dancing, and the Floyd Shape-Note Singers.
Inside the 1940s-era dairy barn, exhibitions will feature contemporary and historical expressions of traditional works: Crafting Appalachia: Tradition & Innovation, the Old Church Gallery’s Mrs. Effie: Needle, Thread, and Heart, and the works of five generations of quilt making and family tradition in McNeil-Epperly Family Quilts: A Legacy of Appalachian Craftmanship.
Complementing the artistic displays and performances, the festival will also offer kids’ activities, artisan vendors, beer garden, food trucks (Copper Dog and Thai & More), homecooked pinto beans and cornbread, and more.
NEW THIS YEAR: The festival will kick off with a special event at 6p on Friday, August 23 at the June Bug Center. Adam Booth, West Virginia’s 2022 Folk Artist of the Year will present “The Heron’s Journey,” a 60-75 minute storytelling performance about a young boy's transformative journey. Floyd’s talented Junior Appalachian Musicians will open the ADA accessible event. Students are free to attend; adults can purchase tickets ($20) online at floydartcenter.org
Event Details: Hosted by the Floyd Center for the Arts in collaboration with The Floyd Country Store’s Handmade Music School, the Floyd Living Traditions Festival will take place from 10 am to 6 pm on Saturday, August 24, 2024. This free event, is held rain or shine at the Art Center located at 220 Parkway Lane S, Floyd, VA. For more information and details visit www.floydartcenter.org. The Floyd Living Traditions Festival is made possible by Mid Atlantic Arts’ Central Appalachia Living Traditions program & Mid Atlantic Tours program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. The festival is generously sponsored by Skyline National Bank, Floored, LLC, and the Floyd Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Dealership.
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