With community immunity on the way by summer, festivals and larger musical gatherings are back on the calendars. Although a few early spring festivals, such as the Nelsonville Music Festival, have been postponed, other later spring and summer fests are planned with Covid restrictions in place.
Here’s a look at a few of regional music fests and some concerts announced so far this spring and into summer.
Mountain Stage Live
Mountain Stage’s first audience show back goes big. Teaming up with the Marshall Artists Series and the city of Huntington to celebrate the Jewel City’s sesquicentennial, a Friday night live show is set for 7:30 Friday, April 16 at the Joan. C. Edwards Stadium. Host Larry Groce will welcome powerhouse Alabama-based rock and roll soul band St. Paul & The Broken Bones, along with singer-songwriter and prolific pianist, A.J. Croce, and nationally traveling Huntington indie-rockers Ona will appear as well.
One final performer will be announced soon for the show produced by West Virginia Public Broadcasting and that will later air on more than 280 NPR Music stations across the country. General admission tickets are $60 with pod-style seating. General admission tickets for this performance of Mountain Stage are $60. Price includes all taxes and fees. To purchase tickets, visit ticketmaster.com, or call the Marshall Artists Series at 304-696-6656, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
New River Gorge Fest
The first New River Gorge Festival is set for May 14-16 at ACE Adventure Resort. The live music fest features Travers Brothership on Friday night. On Saturday, May 15, get a triple shot live music with Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band, and SWV favorites, Wild Rumpus and BlacKingCoal. The weekend festival pass is $40 and includes live music Friday and Saturday, camping Friday and Saturday nights, a film festival and access to vendor midway and demos. ACE will also be offering its full compliment of adventures from on campus zip line tours, mountain biking, to trips on the nearby upper and lower New River. Go online for tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-river-gorge-festival-tickets-137847929869 And find out more about ACE and all it offers at https://aceraft.com
Fallsburg Summer Stage
Set for Friday and Saturday, May 21-22. Two nights of music at the Fallsburg Fearplex, 5462 N. Highway 3, Louisa, Ky. Friday: Buffalo Wabs and the Price Hill Hustle, Nolan Taylor and Sean Whiting. Saturday: Arlo McKinley, El Dorado, and Cole Chaney. GA tickets are $50 for both days. There’s also camping on site. Tickets at: https://holdmyticket.com/tickets/370398
Brewgrass
Set for Saturday, May 29 at Heritage Station in Huntington is the third annual Brewgrass Craft Beer, Cider and Music Festival with musical guests Ona, Sasha Colette, and Barry Frazee. Features more than 50 craft beers and ciders from around the world, along with artisan vendors, food and more. A portion of the proceeds raised from the festival will be donated to the WV Veterans Home. Tickets are $50. Designated driver tickets are. $25. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brewgrass-craft-beer-cider-music-festival-tickets-93957843439
Mountain Music Fest
Mountain Music Festival 2021 is back at ACE Adventure Resort June 3-5, with more than 30 bands in the heart of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Party on the mountain with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Lettuce, The Wood Brothers, The Infamous Stringdusters, TAUK, BIG Something, The Werks, Moon Hooch, Arlo McKinley, Funk You, Empire Strikes Brass, Fletcher’s Grove, Magnolia Boulevard, Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle, 49 Winchester, Joslyn & The Sweet Compression, The Kind Thieves, Black Garlic, The Wright Ave, Groundhog Gravy, The Settlement, DownTown Abby & The Echoes, Emma’s Lounge, Reliably Bad, Dr. Bacon, Vintage Pistol, Will Jones Band, Matt Mullins & The Bringdowns, Andrew Adkins WV, Jake Dunn & The Blackbirds, The Mighty Good Times & Paul Johnson with Corey Lee McQuade. All VIP tickets are sold out but two-day general admission (includes camping) are available at $129. Go online at www.MountainMusicFestWV.com/Tickets
Laurel Cove Music Festival
Set for June 11-12 at the Pine Mountain State Park in Pineville, Kentucky. Headliners include Lost Dog Street Band, Arlo McKinley, Sundy Best, Morgan Wade, Wayne Graham, Buffalo Wabs, Laidback Country Picker, John R, Miller, Charles Wesley Godwin and many more. SOLD OUT. Get more info at https://www.facebook.com/LaurelCoveMusicFestival/
Appalachian Strings and Things
Set for Friday and Saturday, July 2-3 at Jenny Wiley Amphitheater, Prestonsburg, Ky. Music starts at 4 p.m. daily. Friday: Slocan Ramblers, Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle, Mama Said String Band, Foxtowne and Tanner Horton. Saturday lineup is Sideline, Wolfpen Branch, The Coal Cave Hollow Boys, CoalTown Dixie and Kill Devil Hillbillies. Daily passes are $32 or $54 for both days. Go online at https://macarts.showare.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=14
Master Musicians Fest
The MMF returns to south central Kentucky with nearly 40 national and regional touring acts at the Somerset Community College Festival Field — Friday and Saturday, July 16-17 with most of the 2020 lineup including: Blues Traveler, The Wooks, Kelsey Waldon, Morgan Wade, The Steeldrivers, The Local Honeys and many more. Only 3,000 tickets sold. Early bird tickets are $45 for a weekend pass at https://rb.gy/bjlsfh
If you rolled your ticket over from last year, please check your email.
Fly In Festival
One of the nation’s most unique settings for a fest. The Fly In Festival is set for Aug. 27-28, 2021 featuring two dozen national and regional touring bluegrass, old-time and Americana acts on stage at the Robert C. Newton Airpark. Fly in, drive in, skydive in, bike in, paddle in to the fest located on the banks of the Ohio River. Hosted by the Bing Brothers with Jake Krack, the fest features headliners such as Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out, Kenny and Amanda Smith, Danny Paisley, Don Rigsby, Rob Ickes, Trey Hensley and Mike Bub, Robert Schafer and Johnny Staats, Robin and Dan Kessinger, and many more. Fest includes the Clark Kessinger Fiddle Contest, the Robin Kessinger Flatpick Contest and workshop. There’s also a paddle trip, camping, skydiving, restaurant on premise, vendors and much more. Go online at
fly-in-festival.ticketleap.com/2021-fly-in-festival/
4848 Festival
AllGood Presents is back at Snowshoe Mountain for the epic 4848 Festival that is set for Sept. 3-5, 2021. Enjoy two nights of Greensky Bluegrass, and many other acts to be announced. Enjoy three days of live music, crowd performers, craft beer, food and craft vendors, scenic-lift rides, Festival Express Shuttles, Split Rock pools, zipline, climbing wall and Shavers Lake activities include: swimming, paddle boats, canoes, kayaks, plus hiking and mountain biking trails. Go online at https://www.4848festival.com/
