Watermelon Park Fest

Every year late in September [festival web site].

This Americana festival happens last weekend of September a Thursday to Sunday, though some people show up Tuesday. Watermelon Park is near Berryville VA less than an hour west of Frederick MD. Admission is steep ($40 per adult in 2010 but $120 per adult in 2015). The beautiful Shenandoah River is accessible all along the camp grounds. There are many kinds of music including country, bluegrass, folk, cajun, blues. The camping is crowded. In the past there were car alarms and confederate flags and drunkards yelling "YEAH!". Nowadays there are big trucks and post-high-school kids buying drugs and gabbing all night long. However most people are friendly and the kids can roam safely and we've never lost anything.

What is there to do? Stage shows, swimming, wading, boating, fly fishing, camping, play ground, kids' activity tent, vendor tents, and jamming. There is a bit of dancing and workshops. There is a contest to build the best boat out of a watermelon followed by the great watermelon boat race. There is a band contest.

Is there old time? Not much. The 2010 shows featured Bruce Molsky and Martin Family. Recent shows feature a few bands that mix old time with harder stuff: Furnace Mountain, Woodshedders, Plank Stompers, Plate Scrapers, Hot Seats. The 2015 big bands were bluegrass (Peter Rowan, Hot Rize) and country (Loretta Lynn). In the camp grounds, more people play the radio than the banjo. Nevertheless, every year we have managed to find other old time players and jam all day every day. 

What does the festival provide? The admission is per person with no family discount. There is a charge to park in the campground. There is a charge to bring a dog. There is a charge to reserve an RV campsite. There is a tip jar in the rest room and a quarter-fed water meter in the shower. There is a main stage, a side stage, and a dance tent. There are guys with "SECURITY" T-shirts who mostly just check wrist bands at the big shows. For free there is a circulating shuttle bus, port-a-potties, and trash pickup. In 2015, the port-a-potties went un-serviced and were fully gross by Saturday. The park store rents kayaks and rubber rafts with life jacket ($10 for 4 hours in 2010). The park store sells ice, propane, and last-minute camping supplies like bug spray. The vendor trucks sell coffee, burritos, salads, dinner plates, colorful shirts, hand made instruments, hoola-hoops. The kids' playground bears the ominous anonymous message, "Not responsible for injuries."  

What should I bring? Cash. Quarters for showers. Bathing suits. Water shoes or crocks for walking on sharp rocks in the river. First aid. Tent, sleeping bags, tarps, string. Floats, boats, life vests, towels, sun tan lotion and bug spray. Drinks, water bottles, lots and lots of water, coffee, cups. Folding chairs for the concerts, jams, and shore. Kids activities like bicycles, glow sticks, flash lights, frisbee. Earplugs. Asprin.

Watermelon Park (park web site). 

3322 Lockes Mill Rd. Berryville VA 22611. 540-955-4803

Top, left to right: kids' jam; instrument vendor; Molsky square dance.

Bottom: panoramic view taken from the middle of the river.