Walnut Valley News

Winfield, Kansas…Preparations for the 48th Walnut Valley Festival are underway and that includes the Wednesday Workshops for musicians. Each year the festival offers attendees the opportunity to study with top musicians in bluegrass and acoustic music. The 2019 menu will include classes for finger style and flat pick guitar, old time fiddle, mandolin, clawhammer style banjo, hammer and mountain dulcimer and even bluegrass vocals.

This year’s instructors include the first lady to win the National Finger Style Championship at the Walnut Valley Festival, guitarist Muriel Anderson, and the 2017 International Finger Style Champion Christie Lenée. Tim May returns to handle flat pick guitar style. Ruth Smith will instruct the hammer dulcimer players while Bing Futch is scheduled to share his knowledge of mountain dulcimer technics. Betse Ellis welcomes fiddlers to her class, “Fiddle Phraseology”. Chris Jones will assist singers in a multitude of topics in the “Bluegrass Vocals” class. Mandolin musician Steve Smith will be exploring vocal and jam tunes in numerus music styles from bluegrass to roots / Americana. Clawhammer banjo players can expand their skill by spending the day with Steve Smith.

Karen Deal, WVA Workshop Coordinator “I am really excited about this year’s workshops. We’ll have some of the best instructors in their field right here in Winfield. This year’s instructors plan to cover everything from technique to practice habits as well as new songs to teach participants.”

The Wednesday Workshops are held on September 18, 2019. For complete descriptions of the workshops and cost or to register, please go to the Walnut Valley Festival website at https://www.wvfest.com/workshops/ , call the Festival office at (620)221-3250 or stop by 918 Main Street in Winfield, Kansas.
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Nick Johnson, Orem, Utah took top honors at the Wyoming State Finger Style Guitar Championship while Bill Vernieu from Flagstaff, Arizona won the Wyoming State Flat Pick Guitar Championship. Both competitions are sponsored by the Oyster Ridge Music Festival held in Kemmerer, Wyoming held July 27th through 29th.

Max Mondzac from Boulder, Colorado won second place in the Wyoming State Finger Style Guitar Championship, and Keith Taylor from Magna, Utah won third place.

Matthew “Rooster” Robinette from Pinedale, Wyoming won second place in the Wyoming State Flat Pick Guitar Championship, and Kelly Dobitz from Salt Lake City, Utah won third place.

Nick Johnson has been invited to represent Wyoming in the International Finger Style Guitar Championship and Bill Vernieu has been invited to represent Wyoming in the National Flat Pick Guitar Championship. The prestigious national and international competitions are hosted by the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas September 18th through 22nd, 2019.

The Oyster Ridge Music Festival held its 25th festival and hosted the largest crowd they have had to do date. To learn more about the Oyster Ridge Music Festival go to www.oysterridgemusicfestival.com

Winfield, Kansas ˗ Officials at Walnut Valley Association (WVA) have announced a few changes to rules governing operation of golf carts and other small personal vehicles on grounds during the 48th Walnut Valley Festival in September.

The most significant change is an outright ban on use of unauthorized, gas-powered ATVs/UTVs on grounds during festival. Authorized ATVs/UTVs include those operated by WVA, security, vendors and local emergency personnel.

WVA Executive Director Bart Redford: “WVA decided to ban unauthorized, gas-powered ATVs, ORVs, UTVs and any other gas-powered non-golf cart vehicle from grounds because they are categorically different than the electric golf carts that have long been a part of the festival. Some of these vehicles go much faster than golf carts, and can be hazardous to pedestrians. Many of these vehicles are just as loud as motorcycles, which are not allowed to be driven through the campgrounds, and we had numerous complaints about these vehicles specifically. Some of these are large as a small car, and have been taking up much-needed camping space. After talking the issue over with law enforcement, we decided to take this step.”

Officials also noted that golf carts and other electric vehicles must adhere to Winfield city ordinances regarding their proper use and operation. In particular, Winfield does not allow operation of golf carts on city streets or highways past the boundaries of the fairgrounds. Some festival goers in past years have been known to ride their carts downtown or elsewhere, and so new signs will be posted at entrances to 9^th and 14^th Streets from grounds, alerting festival goers that no golf carts should be driven past these points.

The Texas Bay Area Bluegrass Association have announced the winners of the 2019 Texas Bluegrass Championships.

The Championships were held in Pearl, Texas in conjunction with their monthly meeting. Each competition has a limit of fifteen competitors. Walnut Valley Festival rules are used for the competition.

First Place Winner of the Texas State Flat Pick Guitar Championship is Chapman Welch, Pearland, Texas. Chapman won cash and entry to the National Flat Pick Guitar Championship. Second Place Winner is Scott Owen, Rowlett, Texas. Scott receives cash for his second place wins. Third Place winner is Samuel Smith from Mesquite, Texas. Samuel receives cash for his third place win.

First Place Winner of the Texas State Banjo Championship is sixteen-year-old Riley Gilbreath, from Crowley, Texas. Riley wins cash plus entry in the National Bluegrass Banjo Championship. Second Place Winner is Mark Krider, from Athens, Texas. Mark wins cash for his efforts. Third Place Winner is Ethan May from San Saba, Texas. Ethan wins cash for competing.

First Place Winner of the Texas State Mandolin Championship is Chip Bach, from Cedar Park, Texas. Chip receives cash plus entry in the National Mandolin Championship. Second Place Winner is Scott Owen, Rowlett, Texas. Scott receives cash for his second place wins. Third Place winner is Samuel Smith from Mesquite, Texas. Samuel receives cash for his third place win.

The first place winners of each Texas State Championship are invited to compete in the National Flat Pick Championships in Winfield, Kansas hosted by the Walnut Valley Festival, September 18th through 22nd, 2019.

Winfield, Kansas

March 12, 2019

If you are one of those attendees at the Walnut Valley Festival who every September strives to be first in line to claim your camping spot, you might want to pay close attention. Walnut Valley Association (WVA), organizer of the festival, has announced that this year’s Land Rush will incorporate a preregistration element before the initial line-up.

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