Walnut Valley Festival facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Walnut Valley Festival(Winfield) |
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| Genre | Bluegrass music |
| Location(s) | Winfield, Kansas |
| Years active | 1972-present |
| Website | Walnut Valley Festival |
The Walnut Valley Festival is an exciting music festival held every year in Winfield, Kansas, USA. It's famous for bluegrass, a lively type of folk music. But you can also hear many other kinds of acoustic music there. Acoustic instruments are ones that make sound without needing electricity, like guitars and banjos. The festival usually takes place for five days, from Wednesday to Sunday, in the middle of September.
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Discover the Festival's History
The first official "Walnut Valley Festival" happened in September 1972. It actually started as a smaller folk festival in 1967 at Southwestern College. People like Sam Ontjes and Stuart Mossman helped create it. Early performers included famous musicians like Doc Watson.
This festival began when folk art and music were becoming very popular. The goal was to bring amazing musicians, both professional and amateur, to the Walnut Valley area. Many people worked hard to keep this tradition going. They wanted to share live folk and bluegrass music with everyone. This also helped local musicians find a stage to perform on. Over time, the festival grew and moved to a new location to fit its needs. It became the big event we know today!
What Happens at the Festival?
The Walnut Valley Festival is a huge event with lots to see and hear. There are four main stages where musicians play at the same time. Plus, you'll find many smaller, unplanned spots where people gather to play music. One famous spot is called Stage 5. This means there's always music happening, no matter what kind you like!
Music Contests and Championships
Besides the amazing paid performers, the festival is famous for its music contests. Musicians from all over come to compete! The biggest contest is the National Flat-pick Guitar Championship. Flat-picking is a special way of playing the guitar with a pick.
Other exciting contests include:
- The National Mandolin Championship
- The National Bluegrass Banjo Championship
- The National Hammer Dulcimer Championship
- The National Mountain Dulcimer Championship
- The International Autoharp Championship
- The International Fingerstyle Guitar Championship
- A fun fiddle contest
The festival audience is also very lively and loves the music!
Award-Winning Bluegrass Event
In 1999, the International Bluegrass Music Association gave the Walnut Valley Festival a special award. It was named their very first "Bluegrass Event of the Year." This shows how important and well-loved the festival is in the world of bluegrass music.
Camping and Jamming Fun
Many people who come to the festival love to camp right on the grounds. The camping area at the Cowley County Fairgrounds opens a whole week before the music even starts on the stages. People even line up more than a month early to get the best camping spots! This event is called the "Land Rush," like the old Oklahoma Land Rush that happened nearby.
About half of the campers bring a musical instrument with them. This makes the campgrounds a perfect place for "jamming" all night long! Jamming means musicians get together and play music informally, often making it up as they go. You'll find people from many different countries camping and playing music together. In 2006, there were performers from Ireland and visitors from as far away as Japan!
Around 11,000 to 15,000 people attend the festival, from the Land Rush until the last day. Many bands that started by jamming in the campgrounds have even been invited to play on the festival stages! Sometimes, the main stage performers will walk through the camping areas. They might join a group playing around a campfire or on the "Boulevard," a paved road where people play music all night, no matter the weather.
