Walnut Valley Festival

Winfield's legendary bluegrass blowout featuring Split Lip Rayfield / Truckstop Honeymoon / The Wilders / Drakkar Sauna / Midday Ramblers and many, many more

When: Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2006, 8 a.m. to midnight

Where: Cowley County Fairgrounds, Winfield, KS

Cost: $18 - $85

Age limit: All ages

Categories: Outdoor, Phil Cauthon Best Bet, Children, Community, Culinary, Folk

Description: Ask any bluegrass musician in Kansas what their favorite time of year is, and mid-September is bound to get the most enthusiastic response. That's because of the annual Walnut Valley Festival, a four-day music and camping festival in Winfield that serves as Kansas's closest answer to Telluride. Though it lacks the big name headliners of Telluride or Merlefest, Winfield's down-home charm keeps the faithful from across the country coming back year after year to pick out old-time tunes with new friends in the campgrounds. Many of the best performances take place late at night on the unofficial campground stages, where independent-minded groups like Split Lip Rayfield, Truckstop Honeymoon, and Drakkar Sauna have earned rabid followings. And as long as you plopped down $80 for a four-day pass, you might as well sleepwalk over to the main stages to check out perennial faves like The Wilders, Tommy Emmanuel, and Beppe Gambetta as well as assorted instrumental competitions. And if you get burnt out on bluegrass, there's always ample time for snoozin', swimmin', drinkin', tomfoolerin', and washer tossin'.

Walnut Valley Festival on The Turnpike, featuring Drakkar Sauna, The Wilders, Truckstop Honeymoon, Konza Swamp Band, and High on the Hog.

Gate Prices:
Full-festival(4-day) $85.00
2-day, Friday/Saturday $65.00
Saturday/Sunday $55.00
Friday $35.00
Saturday $35.00
Thursday (gate only) $35.00
Sunday (gate only) $18.00

Full performer schedule, directions and more at www.wvfest.com

Camping info. We suggest taking your regular camp set-up (tent, sleeping bag, hatchet, flashlight/lantern, battery operated radio etc.) in addition to stable foods, like potatoes, onions, carrots, etc. Cans are preferred over bottles, and recycling is available. There is an (affordable) ice wagon that regularly attends to campsites, as well as several water and food stands just inside the main stage gate. Showers are also available in several locations for a small fee.

Always take water-friendly gear, including a rain coat, because it ALWAYS rains at least one day during the festival.
Taking at least $15 per person, per day (in addition to camping and ticket cost) in spending money is advisable.
From our experience Cingular and Verizon cell phones work in the campgrounds. Sprint does not (though service is usually available 10 minutes away in the town of Winfield).

Directions from Lawrence

View Larger Map

Event posted July 26, 2004
Last updated July 31, 2008

Comments

lawrence.com does not necessarily agree with comments posted below - responsibility lies with the relevant user alone. Read our full policy

Walnut Valley Festival

Miss this event?

Related band pages:

If you went, you might have heard:

Subscribe to events:

Related links:

Comments

Post a comment