The Graves Mountain Community Heritage
Music Festival
2023

It’s Back to Blue Ridge Mountain Roots
With Our Community of Musicians

June 1 to 4, 2023
Now All in the Campground for 2023

Supported by the Graves Mountain Charitable Fund
– a non-profit – assisting  Youth Education from Farming to Mountain Heritage

4 Days – June 1 to 4
Running Throughout the Days Thursday – Sunday

Music – 10 VA Bluegrass Bands
20 Performances

Including Our Very Own Adult Up-coming Band and Young Musician Prize Winners

Jamming

Workshops

Wernick Method – Jam Learning

Adult Band Competition
winning $1500 in prizes and slot on Saturday and next year

Young Musician Competition
– winning 9 months of mentor teaching
Kicking off our focus on
youth education opportunities with our 501C3, Graves Mountain Charitable Fund

Storytelling – 3 tellers – 7 Sessions

Kids Activities Tent

53 Mountain to Mat Adventures
Yoga, Hiking, Nature Walk, Guided Hike, Trail Riding, Road Bike Trips. Farm & Animal Tours, Fly Fishing Workshop

What’s changing this year?

The entire festival will be taking place in the Graves Mountain Campground—not at the Pavilion as in years past.

Campers’ Community Stage – our only stage this year will be based in a big tent with a simple platform stage all located within the Campground for 2023.

By keeping production costs down and focusing more on the music, we will keep ticket prices down.

This year the low 3-day, 2-day, and Saturday ticket prices include camping.

Youth 14 to 6 years are half price. 

Children 5 and under are free. 

This is a long weekend for families to make music and memories.

Jam Tent and Jams All Around

As usual, we have the central jam tent which is also used for Saturday workshop with Valerie Smith and Storytelling Workshop.

Then there are jams  at camp sites and Lodge accommodations until well into the next day.

Music of the Voice – Storytelling from Virginia

This year we include another music – the community voice of storytelling. Six stories and the storytelling workshop.

Music Making Support for Our Community
– three paths for 2023

Young Bluegrass Musician Competition – supporting youth Bluegrass with nine months of teaching/mentoring for the winner, a spot on stage on Saturday.

Up-comer Bluegrass Band Competition – support with $1500 prizes and slot for Saturday plus booking for next year.

Learning how to jam with the Wernick Method, here at the festival for Friday and Saturday.

Charity for Giving Back to Youth Development & Education

This year all added proceeds go to youth education and is supported by the Graves Mountain Charitable Fund.

Graves Mountain is now supporting music year round on its 1800 acre  centuries old farm by the Blue Ridge with live local music making from Appalachian to symphonic camps, while hosting  jams and open mic nights,

General and Youth Bluegrass Band Competition

With winners showcased on Saturday.
Categories include Instrument and Bands

Sign Up for Adult Bluegrass Up-comer Band Here and $1500 Prize Money>

Sign Up for Young Musician Here and 9 Month Sessions of Lessons/Mentoring >

Thursday
Tentative Times

1:00 PM to 6:30 PM – Mountain to Mat Adventures
Yoga, Nature Walk, Guided Hike, Horseback Trail Riding all Day options, Farm Tour with Animals
Campground Stage
1:00 pm   Welcome & National Anthem
1:10 pm   Music of the Voice Storytelling #1 in Series
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm   Bluegrass Up-comers Band Competition
5:00 pm -6:00 pm  Evening Break
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm  Young Musician Competition
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm  Up-comers competition continues
10:00 pm   Judging and Awards for Youth and Up-comers

Living LOCAL

Friday
Tentative Times 

8:30 AM – 6:30 PM Mountain to Mat Adventures
Yoga, Nature Walk, Road Bike Trek with Leader, Horseback Trail Riding all Day options, Farm Tour with Animals
Kids Activities

1:00 pm  Welcome & National Anthem
1:00 pm – 1:50 pm   Music of the Voice – Storytelling #2 of Series
2:00 pm – 2:50 pm   Ellen & Smokin’ Trout- Madison, VA
3:00 pm – 3:50 pm   Dark Hollow Bluegrass Band- Madison, VA
4:00 pm – 4:50 pm   Just Wingin’ It- Fredericksburg, VA
5:00 pm – 5:50 pm   Music of the Voice – Storytelling #3 of Series
6:00 pm – 6:50 pm   TBD
7:00 pm – 7:50 pm   Ellen & Smokin’ Trout
8:00 pm – 8:50 pm   Dark Hollow Bluegrass Band
9:00 pm – 9:50 pm   Just Wingin’ it
10:00 pm – 10:45 pm   Jam Band

 Living LOCAL in Virginia!!

Saturday
Tentative Times

8:30 am – 6:30 pm   Mountain to Mat Adventures
Yoga, Nature Walk, Road Bike Trek with Leader, Horseback Trail Riding all Day options, Farm Tour with Animals, Fly Fishing Workshop
Kids Activities

12:00 pm   Welcome & National Anthem
12:10 pm – 12:50 pm   Music of the Voice – Storytelling #4 of Series
1:00 pm – 1:50 pm   Virginia Rain – Luray, VA
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm   Workshop in Jam Tent with Valerie Smith
2:00 pm – 2:50 pm   Rose River Ramblers, Powhatan, VA
3:00 pm – 3:50 pm   The Virginia Ramblers, Charlottesville, VA
4:00 pm – 4:50 pm   Winner of Up-comer Band Competition (one set)
5:00 pm – 5:50 pm Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, Somerset, Va
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm   Music of the Voice – Storytelling #5 of Series
7:00 pm – 7:50 pm Virginia Rain, Luray, VA
8:00 pm – 8:45 pm   Rose River Ramblers, Powhatan, VA
9:00 pm – 9:45 pm   The Virginia Ramblers, Charlottesville, VA
10:00 pm – 10:45 pm   Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, Somerset, VA

Sunday

8:30 am – 11:00 am   Mountain to Mat Adventures

Main Lodge
8:00 am – 10:00 am – Big Breakfast Buffet
10:30 am – Giving Thanks with Pastor Bill on the Front Porch
11:00 am – 12:00 pm   Front Porch Feedback Chat
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm   Farmhouse Fried Chicken & More Lunch Buffet

And Every Day “Living LOCAL”

Jammers Tent going strong as ever
Jammers Learning to join in with the Wernick Method Workshops and One on Ones

The Graves Mountain Farm – crops and animals

53 Mountain to Mat Activities – from yoga to nature hikes with cycling and horseback riding
– along with Farm Animals, learning adventures, organic gardening, fly fishing, cycling through the foothills, mountain biking course

Farm to Table fare at the Graves Mountain Farm & Lodges Restaurant
Exploring our Living LOCAL foods, southern comfort food updates, farmhouse baking, fine Living LOCAL wines and our own Hard Cider.

Real Food and Festival Snacks
Foods and Snacks in the Campground and at the Market Deli & Tackle – yes the Milkshakes will be there. And our Living LOCAL Graves Mountain Lodges & Farm Restaurant – Farm to Table.

Tickets
Affordable Camping and Festival Combo Tickets – Kids Free as Always
Camping and all events except horseback riding, meals, pool fee will be a low per person per day/night fee with youth 15  years and under FREE. Details in November. Glamping Tents, Lodge Rooms and Cabins also available.

Book Here

Graves Mountain Charitable Fund-501C3
– supporting youth music making, youth education, youth farming, and heritage music through the years.