Floydfest in Patrick County, VA is covered in the recent NEA Arts Magazine with a major article, "A Place Out Of Time"

Reference: http://www.nea.gov/about/nearts/storyNew.php?id=01-aplace&issue=2011_v3 A Place Out of Time Virginia's FloydFest Is Where the Magic Pops by Michael Gallant Enthusiastic concertgoers at the tenth anniversary of FloydFest in Floyd, Virginia. Photo by Russ Helgren "Floyd, Virginia is a place out of time," said Kris Hodges, co-founder and producer of FloydFest, the epic, homegrown festival that blossoms in the small Blue Ridge Mountains community every July. "This town creates the opportunity for anything to happen, as long as it's positive and sustainable. And the community supports the roots music scene indefinitely." It would have been difficult for Hodges -- who created the five-day event a decade ago with his wife and festival director Erika Johnson -- to have found more fertile soil in which to plant the couple's dreams. Steeped in the traditional music and arts of the Appalachian Mountains and sustained by a steady flow of newcomers, Floyd is essentially a Mecca of Americana music, exhibiting an artistic vibrancy and diversity that serves as FloydFest's creative lifeblood. In 2011 alone, the festival's lineup ranged from Oakland hip-hop pioneer Lyrics Born to the second-line New Orleans funk of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, from the classic blues of Taj Mahal to the mountain tunes of the Whitetop Mountain Band. Beyond the music, FloydFest further channels the unique vibe of its hometown, hosting a wide variety of local vendors, a Healing Arts Village, a family-themed Children's Universe, and workshops for both kids and adults. The story of FloydFest is inextricably tied to the grit and inspiration of its founders, as well as the identity of its namesake community. Here's what Hodges and Johnson had to say about their evolution as festival planners, the unique character of their hometown, and the process of creating one of the most diverse musical events in the United States. Photo by Tom Bishop