MidMountain Fest
MidMountain Fest 2024: Reclaiming Appalachian Murder Ballads
Join us from 10am-9pm on October 12, 2024 for a day of revelatory feminist art, music, and storytelling with dozens of creatives exploring the intersection of gender, horror, and history hosted by MidMountain Retreat at 338 Arnolds Valley Rd, Natural Bridge Station, VA.
Check out the schedule here and learn more below!
Full Fall Schedule
October 5: Murder Ballads, Southern Gothic Horror, and Reclaiming Haunted Regional History Panel
When: 1-2pm, October 5, 2024
Where: Glasgow Public Library, 1108 Blue Ridge Road, Glasgow, VA 24555.
The Murder Ballads, Southern Gothic Horror, and Reclaiming Haunted Regional History Panel at Rockbridge Regional Library Glasgow will feature journalist, MidMountain curator, and creator of the Fatal Femme Agency musical history show Andy “River” Peterson; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill PhD candidate focused on gothic horror and colonization narratives Anna Blackburn; musician and creator of The Ballad of Dena & Andrea podcast Becky Poole; regional balladeer Elsa Howell, multimedia artist Marie Anderson, and writer Sarah Gill. The event will begin at 1pm and feature moderation by Penny Dudley.
Poole, Howell, Anderson, and Gill will be joining as members of a Fall Fellowship Cohort in residence at MidMountain Retreat in preparation for MidMountain Fest. Full bios for the library event participants are available in this Google Doc.
October 6: Regeneration: Grief in Story and Song Gallery Show Opening Reception and Zine Workshop
When: 5-8pm
Where: MidMountain Retreat, 338 Arnolds Valley Rd, Natural Bridge Station, VA. 24579.
Regeneration: Grief in Story and Song Gallery Show will be on display at MidMountain Retreat from October 6 through November 30 will feature artwork from Katherine Fahey of Baltimore, MD; Sybil Mahone of Washington DC; Raven Mack of Schuyler, VA; Allison Spence of Tallahassee, Florida; Cary Oliva of Lexington, VA; Miriam Julianna of Washington, DC; Renée K. Wieneck of Tazewell, VA; and Dan Van Allen of Baltimore, MD. Show curators AnaMarie King, Christine Sajecki, and Andy “River” Peterson share this curatorial statement:
“In this group art show, artists explore storytelling and Appalachian tradition from a variety of perspectives. They touch on themes of eco-consciousness, decomposition, family, caretaking, and changing relationships with ourselves, our bodies and our companions. Seen together, they illuminate the cycles in nature of life and death, grief and regrowth. Through the mediums of photography, paper cutting, paper folding, welding, sculpture and mixed media assemblage, these artists share their generative experiences of what it’s like to grieve on and for the land.”
A vegan stew will be offered at the October 6 opening reception from 5pm-8pm and guests are encouraged (but not required!) to bring their own dish to share at this free event. There will be a workshop during the event where guests will be invited to learn how to create and bind simple homemade zine publications. Rockbridge Regional Library System’s Bookmobile will also be on site with a curated selection of materials available for check out.
Helene Grief & Relief Donation Drive
MidMountain is seeking relief donations of items that will be run to existing Roanoke distribution points and directly to affected rural communities connected to MidMountain Fest performers.
We recommend financial contributions be directed to the Appalachian Funders Network or local mutual aid groups providing on the ground relief.
Essentials
Water, Non-perishable food, Instant/powdered milk, Instant coffee, Hot chocolate, Can openers, Baby formula, Diapers (including pullups), Hand sanitizer, Compostable body wipes, Toilet paper, Batteries (C and D especially), Flashlights, Lamp oil, Lanterns, Candles, Charged power bricks and power cords, Ice packs, Butane for camp stoves, 20 lb propane tanks for grills/smokers, Camp cooktops, Handheld radios
Clean up items
Heavy duty trash bags, Work Gloves, Shovels, Rakes, 5 gallon buckets, Pump sprayers, Crowbars/pry bars, Hammers, Wheelbarrows, Dehumidifiers, Pump sprayers, Paper towels, Kitchen dishwashing gloves or nitrile gloves, Utility knives, Box fans, Bleach, Disinfectant, N95/KN95 face masks, Tarps, Scrub brushes, Duct tape, Chainsaw oil and two-stroke gas mix
Personal items
Laundry soap, Pre-made first aid kits, Children’s medicine, Menstrual care items, Adult diapers, Dry shampoo, Toiletries, New bedding, New bath towels, Brand new undergarments, New blankets (still in packaging)
Accepting donations daily, anytime, now through October 11 and during MidMountain Fest on Oct 12 at MidMountain Retreat, 338 Arnolds Valley Rd, Natural Bridge Station, Va 24579.
Full Fest Information
October 12, 2024 from 10am-9pm at 338 Arnolds Valley Rd, Natural Bridge Station, VA!
Musical performances across two stages from…
South for Winter, Clover Lynn, Fatal Femme Agency, Elizabeth LaPrelle, Sista Zock, Elsa Howell, Kelle Jolly, Becky Poole, Morgan LeFool, Bristol of New York, Doc McClintock, Betsy Podsiadlo, and more!
Art installations and workshops from…
AnaMarie King, Katherine Fahey+Dan Van Allen, Tunnels of Light, Marie Anderson, Miriam Julianna, the MidMountain Collective, and more!
Check out the full schedule here.
Grounds at MidMountain Retreat (338 Arnolds Valley Rd, Natural Bridge Station, VA) will open at 10am on Oct 12 for ticketed visitors to enjoy exploring nature walks in the nascent food forest planted on site in partnership with the James River Association, the State Department of Forestry, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, artisan vending, workshops, craft stations, and art installations on site. Musical performances will begin at noon and end at 8pm. Grounds will close at 9pm.
You can also go behind the scenes with Backstage Passes that include access to the interior Green Room lounge featuring 3 hours of exclusive, intimate sets from performers. Plus, access to an indoor plumbed bathroom, priority parking assignment (for those adding on to a General Admission ticket) and a tote bag of MidMountain goodies!
Our main stage will be live streamed online for free, but you can also purchase a Virtual Backstage Pass for access to stream 3 hours of exclusive Backstage sets of intimate music and storytelling, plus an invitation to our Backstage channel in the MidMountain Discord for a behind the scenes look as the event comes together!
Check out the full schedule here.
Date: Oct 12, 2024
Location: MidMountain Retreat, 338 Arnolds Valley Rd, Natural Bridge Station, VA 24579
Gates open to the public: 10am
Outdoor musical performances: Noon-8pm
Grounds close: 9pm
A scale Fest Map is above!
Two Safety Centers equipped with first aid kits will be maintained by at least one staff or volunteer wearing nametags, reflective vests, and MidMountain gear and with 911 access via cell phones at all times – one in the Post Office Community Center near the entrance, water station and another in the small barn at the back of the main audience area.
We welcome supervised minor guests with discretion and will have a variety of arts and crafts experiences suitable for all ages, including print-making and friendship bracelet stations. We also welcome friendly, leashed dogs as long as their owners clean up after them!
Community Code of Conduct
We ask all visitors to take responsibility for creating a safe community experience for everyone and follow this code of conduct:
Although there will be discussions of serious topics including violence and sexual assault as part of this event, we are coming together in the spirit of dissecting the harmful messages often embedded in historical examples of culture and finding ways to use the creative spirit to reclaim and transform those traditions, rather than celebrate violence.
Please prioritize the functionality of our space as an inclusive environment regardless of race, gender, sexuality, disability, or other differences. Hateful behavior will not be tolerated.
Assume positive intent and bring positive intention into your interactions with others, acknowledging that we all come from different life experiences.
Ask clarifying questions if you are unsure about something. Communicate your boundaries as necessary. If you need help, look for a MidMountain volunteer or staff member in a reflective vest.
Avoid shaming or belittling each other and ourselves as we approach these hard topics. Embrace self-care or take space if overwhelmed. We will have a designed calm area for for if visitors get overstimulated as well as multiple opportunities to process feelings through craft creation.
Accessibility Information
A water station and two ADA-accessible porta potties as well as Accessible Parking will be available near the road entrance and we are happy to work with folks who need additional accommodations as needed. Due to the age and residential nature of our property, the interior half-bath available as part of the Backstage Passes is not wheelchair accessible, but we have a mobile ramp that can allow access to Backstage Lounge and we are working on long-term plans to improve facility accessibility. We will have a shade-covered, designated accessible audience area with spaced out seating for the main stage as well as a designated calm space with pillows and blankets in a separate part of the property for guests who may become overstimulated or overwhelmed. There will also be a dedicated captioning on our free public livestream of the main stage for the hearing impaired. Please reach out to river@midmountain.org with any accessibility questions.
COVID-19 Policy
We will be strongly encouraging masking inside and ask all attendees to be up to date on COVID-19 vaccination. We will also be asking all performers, staff, volunteers and Backstage Pass holders to rapid test prior to the festival. We are working on our final COVID-19 mitigation plans, including prioritizing airflow in the backstage and green room areas as exploring use of Corsi-Rosenthal boxes or other filtration systems.
Parking
Due to the limits of our site, only General Admission tickets include parking and we strongly encourage carpooling among attendees to reduce traffic congestion and help protect our local environment. To incentivize ride sharing, we are offering discounted Ride Along Tickets that do not include parking for folks planning to carpool with friends and a limited number of Murder of Crows Early Bird Bundles featuring discounted groups of 1 General ticket and 3 Ride Along tickets with extra goodies. Please note there is no public parking along Arnolds Valley Road near our space and parking alongside the road will put you at risk of ticket and towing.
Other information
You will be asked to show ID and your confirmation email at check-in. We recommend saving a screenshot to your device prior to arrival just in case you have any cell phone issues in our area.
Trash
We ask our community to embrace a leave no trace approach to our space and pack out their own trash or recycling, but will also provide a handful of trash and recycling stations on site as shown by the site map.
Smoking
This will be no smoking festival due to fire risks and we ask that visitors prepare accordingly. However, we will have a designated area being observed by staff/volunteers for art-related ritualistic burning where we will accommodate those who need to smoke for medical reasons.
Documentation Notice
Please note that we will be live-streaming and video documenting much of this festival. By purchasing a ticket, you consent to being filmed in the background and understand you may appear in future media productions from MidMountain. We will ask for affirmative consent before interviews or more substantive engagement with our documentation efforts.
Emergency Plan
In the event of a fire or other emergency, a staff point person will call 911 for assistance. The emcee will make an announcement for people to calmly make their way to an identified Safety Center. Parking attendants will keep roads on site accessible to emergency vehicles and meet them at the entrance to the property at 338 Arnolds Valley Road. The rest of staff and volunteers will join the public in a safety zone and keep them from interfering with emergency vehicles and personnel or blocking the ingress/egress.When first responders have safely contained the situation and it is deemed safe, volunteers and staff will guide the public in batches to leave the property.
Nearby Food and Lodging
On-site lodging will be limited to staff, performers, and volunteers for MidMountain Fest. But there are plenty of places to stay nearby!
The Glenwood-Pedlar Ranger District of Washington-Jefferson National Forest offers numerous free dispersed campsites up the road from on the Petite's Gap route to the Blue Ridge Parkway, along with great hiking, including the Devil's Marbleyard!
There is also a campground available at Cave Mountain Lake Recreation Area nearby in the National Forest.
Jellystone Park at Natural Bridge is a RV and camping resort with a variety of tent and cabin options just up the road.
ThunderBRidge is a nearby artist studio space and campground featuring cottages on Airbnb and rustic cabins and campsites in a developed, but natural, setting in what was once a Civilian Conservation Corp property.
Stanimals 328 offers very moderately priced hostel-style lodging and a limited number of private cabins, as well as camping spots, just up the road in Glasgow. A favorite of Appalachian Trail folks!
Nearby Hotels:
Nearby Bed and Breakfasts or unique lodgings:
MidMountain Fest 2024 is a community project of MidMountain, a 501(c)3 nonprofit arts collective and project in constant growth that believes in the power of people to reclaim space and caring for your neighbors. The majority (75%) of net ticket sales are being redistributed to performers and artists on a profit-share basis and we plan to use the rest to fund future programming. (Hopefully, another MidMountain Fest!)
Special thank you to Mid Atlantic Arts and their Central Appalachian Living Traditions Program, which made this festival possible through an artist grant to expand the Fatal Femme Agency show and funding the printing of our Reclaiming Appalachian Murder Ballads zine that will be for sale at the festival!
