Over three consecutive days, the Lynchburg Music Fest provided music fans of all ages with non-stop entertainment they will talk about until next year. The festival, which started in 2019, was held on a farm with a backdrop setting that was something out of a book. The moment of arrival from parking in a huge field, to the scent of cows in the distance, attendees knew they were in for a memorable experience. Immediately after walking through the shaded tree entrance, the wide-open space where the event was held, was simply perfect for the occasion.
The organizer's efforts to strike a balance for all age groups to enjoy this year’s event did not go unnoticed. Whether it was the strategically placed inflatable slide, cornhole game set up or the variety of food/beverage options, nobody was left out. Non-alcoholic beverages, snow cones, lemonade and lots of great food choices for all to enjoy were readily available. Rockstar had reps onsite passing out free cans just in case there was a need for a pick me up during the all-day affair. That extra energy boost was welcomed on Saturday since the lineup schedule was jam-packed over twelve hours. The adults had additional choices of cocktails made with premium Jack Daniel’s whiskey, wine from the Lynchburg Winery, Coors Light beer, and tobacco-free nicotine pouches from Zyn. No matter the age, everyone in the crowd had plenty of options for food and beverage.
The artists themselves were welcoming to the diverse age groups in the crowd too. They interacted with them all the same and that made the energy in the crowd more electric. The entire event was inclusive with the only requirement being to just love great music! It is extremely rare that the majority of the people in attendance will know every artist and song at a music festival. The only thing that matters is that they appreciate good music. It is the common denominator that makes music festivals so fun to attend.
On Saturday evening, the Walker Hayes set was one of the fan favorites. In the words of one festival attendee named Jaime, “he blew up all over Tik Tok!” She could barely contain her excitement. She actually left her phone behind on the table by accident so she could make sure she had a good spot to see his performance. His song Fancy Like, has over 17 million views of the dance that he along with his daughter does on his official Tik Tok page. The dance on the popular app has caught on like fire amongst the younger crowd to the point that it is a viral sensation. It was obvious that people were waiting for him to perform because the crowd around the stage slowly, but surely started to grow in anticipation. Hayes came out in his Fancy Like t-shirt and played a few songs before playing the catchy hit. It was the one everyone was waiting on from the moment he hit the stage. It was obvious that the song energized the crowd for the rest of the evening. Nobody could resist moving and grooving to the melody, even the ones who did not know the dance. All that mattered in the moment was if the crowd were enjoying themselves. One young fan had the opportunity to join Hayes on stage. Of course, it was one of the most adorable things that happened all weekend on the main stage.
The diverse crowd of young-to-twenty-somethings, middle-aged and older music lovers, at this year’s festival showed that love of music has no age limit. The Lynchburg Music Festival continues to prove that good music is indeed for everyone!