Well, the time has come people! It’s just about the beginning of the Summer season, so you know what that means, right? It’s the kick-off of fresh blueberry season, duhh!!! One of the many great times of the year, I, for one, am extra excited about this particular blueberry season, because we get to bring it in on the grounds of none other than Drewery Farms, Virginia’s premier Blueberry and Berry Picking farm. The Drewery family has been farming in Southeastern Virginia for about 5 centuries now, so when it comes to providing the freshest produce and berries around, I’d say they have a hell of a lot more knowledge and experience than anyone I know, so you know you will be in for a tasty treat.
Now, as much fun as just a good ol’ fashioned blueberry pickin’ party would be, that is not the only reason behind this festival preview. From June 21st-June 23rd, people will be flocking from all over the Mid-Atlantic and beyond, to participate in the 2nd Annual Blueberry Jam Festival, a charity driven festival that supports all local musicians, food/drink vendors, and a variety of artisans. So besides the obvious berries on site, we will be joined by such bands as:
The Mantras (progressive rock/jam)
Dopapod (experimental funk-rock)
BIG Something (alternative rock with a BIG groove)
Galaxy Dynamite (surf/trance/rock/psychedelic)
Session Rockers (roots reggae)
The Dharma Initiative (indie/funk/soul/world)
Silo Effect (electronic space-rock)
as well as an eclectic mix of other bands and DJ’s that will surely keep us groovin’ through the day and night…
full lineup listed here.
As I’m sure we all know, all of these bands are extremely well-versed in the “party starting” category, so no need to worry about there being a lack of good music or entertainment.
Dopapod
One of my favorite parts about festival season, is the coming together of so many different bands and artists, you’re pretty much guaranteed to see/hear something you’ve never seen/heard before. For me, I’m super excited to see Dopapod for the first time, as I’ve heard they have been on an absolute tear recently, just finishing blowing minds as a headliner at Disc Jam in Massachusetts, and making a few stops on their way down to Drewery Farms for this weekend.
And then of course there’s Galaxy Dynamite, who never once in the history of their band has put on a bad show, and that’s just a fact; The Mantras, who are just about as consistent as Lindsay Lohan’s criminal record; Silo Effect, who has been killing and keeping the VA jam scene alive (how do they do that?) for about 6 years straight; and keep this on the hush, but rumor has it that our friends from Hubble Bash will be making an apperance at some point over the weekend, so definitely keep an eye out for them!
Apart from the fantastic music that we’ll have on site this year, there will be a large variety of craft beers on tap for your enjoyment, a wonderful addition that unfortunately gets over-looked at some festivals, as well as fresh, farm raised food. And when I say fresh, I mean that last year there was a guy selling grilled hot dogs that he literally made himself that same morning. If that’s not fresh enough for you then I don’t know what would be.
Also be sure to check out the “Jam Stage” that will be set up. They have a full schedule of workshops and special guests that will take this stage to share such information as Raw/Vegan Nutrition, yoga sessions, composting, natural healthy living, coiled pottery making, and my favorite, mushroom growing!!! Really a ton of cool stuff that will be going on throughout the day, so I’m sure you all will find your way over there.
I mean, what else could you ask for in a festival? Good people, good music, good beer, good food, blueberries, and jam, just GOOD all around. Plus, as mentioned earlier, this is a charity driven festival, so all the proceeds go towards the Virginia Peninsula Food Bank, Buy Fresh, Buy Local of Hampton Roads, and the Five Points Community Market. Three wonderful organizations all working towards the same goal of providing fresh, natural food and produce to local residents.
If you don’t have plans already, it is certainly not too late to make plans to be at the Blueberry Jam Festival this weekend, and if you do have plans, cancel them and make new ones. For only $30, it really is a helluva bargain considering everything you get to enjoy for a couple days. Those dates again are this Friday, June 21st-Sunday, June 23. Camping goes until noon on Sunday, so they want everyone to be packed up and ready to go by then. A small request for the hospitality being provided already.
Well that should do it, we can’t wait to see you all on the farm this weekend!!! Drewery Farms is located in Wakefield, VA, about an hour south of Richmond and about an hour outside of Hampton Roads. For directions, further information about the farms, and tickets, please visit the Official Blueberry Jam Festival website. Peace, love, and blueberries!!!
wookiepost 