Welcome to morganton.com. Skip directly to: our Keyword Search, Section Navigation, Content.

Morganton.com - Morganton - The News Herald

HomeNewsEntertainmentSportsLifestylesOpinionCommunityWeather Online Tools Jobs | Real Estate | Shopping | Classified

Campers keep festival going after hours

Jennifer Frew | The News Herald

A guitar case proclaiming a devotion to Bluegrass is the centerpiece at the quiet campsite of cousins Chris and Jeff Welshan, from Maryville TN. The number of people camping at this year's festival has grown significantly from years past.

By Julie N. Chang | The News Herald

Published: July 2, 2009

MORGANTON - Driving by Catawba Meadows Park on Sanford Drive, there's no missing the colorful tents and bright white RVs set up for the Red, White and Bluegrass Festival.

City of Morganton Parks and Recreation Director Gary Leonhardt said there isn't a hard count on the number of campers, but he estimated 120 to 130 units were present by Wednesday morning.

That number is almost three times the number of campers at last year's festival at the Catawba River Soccer Complex, Leonhardt said. Camping is available for free for guests with four-day passes.

RV and tent campers have popped up throughout the park and tree farm, ecstatic to pay such a small cost for both the festival and camping.

And some RV campers are heading to Riverside Family Entertainment Center on Independence Boulevard to find a spot. Kristen Setzer, an employee at Riverside, said 12 of the 31 spots are available, but with reservations for the weekend, the campground could fill up quickly.

Robin Shull of Jonesborough, Tenn. said the festival was proving to be a family affair. Among those in the tent were nephews and grandchildren.

The family had a compound of tents set up around three central tents that housed food and two grills.

"It's well worth the money," Shull said of the camping and festival experience.

"It's our first (Red, White and Bluegrass Festival) and it won't be our last one," Carolyn Fender of Jonesborough, Tenn. said.

The Shull family doesn't just listen to bluegrass music, in just a few minutes several of the family members had guitars, a mandolin, a bass and a strum stick out, and were pickin' away.

After the stage lights have dimmed for the night, the impromptu music isn't a surprise, Shull said.

On Tuesday night, the group grew to at least 15 musicians, Shull said.

But that's not the only pickin' group that formed on the campgrounds. Johnny Morris of Columbus, Ohio said a group formed in the RV camping area, too.

Morris said he was awed by a 10-year-old mandolin player and has run into friends from other bluegrass festivals.

This is Morris' first year at the festival, which he heard about in a bluegrass magazine.

And Morris gives the festival a high rating because of the family-friendly atmosphere, which is often missing from larger festivals.

Other festivals can't beat the price either, Morris said. He didn't think twice about paying the small fee to see the bands on the line-up.

Greg Deal of Morganton heartily agreed with Morris about the fee and he's attended the festival the past four years.

Deal, a member of the bluegrass band Appalachian Sky, said the new location is an improvement over the Catawba River Soccer Complex.

Camping without hookups isn't a hardship either, because he came prepared, Deal said. And the festival grounds have bathrooms and portable showers.

In addition, Deal said the festival staff has been accommodating, providing any assistance he's needed.

That warm welcome hasn't escaped the notice of cousins Chris and Jeff Welshan of Maryville, Tenn.

The Welshans ventured into Morganton on Wednesday morning, where they parted with some money for unique bumper stickers and wandered to other shopping centers.

The cousins heard about the festival while attending a bluegrass festival in Cherokee, Chris Welshan said. That festival pales in comparison to the Red, White and Bluegrass Festival.

Only two days in, the Welshans raved about the festival, which they said offered a great line up, quality sound, cheap tickets with camping and a variety of vendors.

Jeff Welshan said, "The music was great last night, and they have an unbelievable line up."

Where ever the campers are on the campgrounds, there is a consensus among them: they plan on returning for next year's festival.

Visit www.morganton.com/rwbfestival for additional photos and video footage from the 2009 Red, White and Bluegrass Festival.