Music festival remains hidden gem in 48th year

By Liesel Nowak • Staff Writer • August 5, 2010

As summer vacations wind down, so do the opportunities to hear great music outdoors.

Whether it's folk, country, Celtic, bluegrass or symphonic, music at the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival is enjoyed outdoors — rain or shine — on the grounds of the Shrine Mont and Conference Center in Orkney Springs, a little more than a one-hour drive from Staunton.

Upcoming shows include Mary Chapin Carpenter at 8 p.m. on Aug. 13 and Irish folk rockers, The Saw Doctors, at 8 p.m. on Aug. 14.

"The (Saw Doctors) tour all over the world and have fans in the most unexpected nooks and crannies, like the Shenandoah Valley. We're always up for an outdoor party so we didn't have to be asked twice to play the music festival," said Jenifer Shepherd, senior publicist for Rock Paper Scissors, the band's promotional agency. "A live show from The Saw Doctors is a certified good time, guaranteed to make you dance. Don't try to fight it, just go along with the flow."

The festival is hosted in a rustic, open-air pavilion on the grounds of the old Orkney Springs Hotel. In its heyday the venue drew guests — hoping to reap the medicinal powers of a mineral soak — from cities along the East Coast.

"It is a terrific setting because No. 1, it's always great music; No. 2 it's on the grounds of a restored resort hotel; No. 3 it's a wonderful community atmosphere," said festival spokesman Dennis Lynch.

An old-time ice cream social kicks off each concert, and barbecue is sold during the festival. Picnics are also welcome. Tickets are sold for the pavilion or for the lawn, where concertgoers can enjoy the music from blankets and lawn chairs. Parking is free.

Despite it being the festival's 48th year, it remains somewhat of a hidden gem.

"One of the things that we've seen over the years is that people come here for the first time, and they want to come back, but they want to keep it their little secret," Lynch said.

In past years, the festival has welcomed Travis Tritt, Bela Fleck, Kathy Mattea, Sam Bush and Roseanne Cash. The festival's offerings draw a diverse and intergenerational crowd, Lynch said.

"Lots of people will see people that they only see only once a year — at the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival. It's a great place to listen to music. The moon and the stars will be your companions."

·  what: Shenandoah Valley Music Festival

·  when: Select dates though Sept. 5.

·  where: Orkney Springs

·  admission: $10-$45, depending on show and seating. See website for more information.

·  more info: (800) 459-3396, visit www.musicfest. org.