Imperfect Genius

Is anyone else going?

No, it’s not a fan gathering of people honoring Pink Floyd, although that would be pretty cool, too. It’s a three day celebration of music from around the globe, held annually in the little town of Floyd, Virginia. 2002 was the first festival and it has continued to grow every year while maintaining a down-to-earth eclectic feel. It’s a kid-friendly event, with lots of attendees camping out with their entire family for the weekend. People come from all over to listen to great music, browse the goodies made by skilled artisans and enjoy the laid-back fun-loving community.

FloydFest, as it’s commonly known, strives to showcase the best in World, Bluegrass, Reggae, Folk, African, and Appalachian music. This year the organizers are expecting around 7,000 people. A few of the 50+ performers scheduled for 2006 are Los Lobos, Cyro Baptista, Donna the Buffalo, Eddie from Ohio, Railroad Earth, Adrienne Young, Akoya Afrobeat, Rory Block, and Garaj Mahal. Last year the lineup included Ani DiFranco, JD Crowe, Hot Tuna, African Showboyz, and Cadillac Jones.

I am really excited about going this year. Several of my friends and their families are planning to attend as well, so we’re converging on the festival Saturday to make a day of it. It’ll be fun to catch up and watch the kids dance in the grass. It’ll be neat for them to experience music from different cultures and genres around the world.