Christmas is Here for MerleFest Fans

Yankees baseball skipper Yogi Berra once said of a popular New York restaurant and nightclub, “Nobody goes there anymore…it’s always too crowded.”

That seemingly contradictory sentiment is echoed by many High Country music lovers when they explain why they don’t go to MerleFest anymore. “It’s gotten too big. It costs too much. It’s not as much fun as it used to be.”

I’ve gotta say folks, you’re whining is a little embarrassing. Every year at MerleFest, I have a great time and I meet tons of people who have traveled hundreds of miles to participate in what has evolved into the eastern half of the United States’ premiere acoustic music festival.

Gigantic jam sessions where strangers become bandmates are a common occurrence at MerleFest. Photo by Jeff Eason

This year the festival has received ticket orders from people in 48 states and 12 foreign countries willing to make the trek to Wilkesboro for an extended weekend of fun, sun and music.

The organizers of the festival have done a wonderful job managing the four-day event’s growth. After some pretty crowded Friday and Saturday nights a few years ago, organizers have tried to schedule some of the bigger name acts on Thursday evening and Sunday afternoon. That simple move has done wonders for spreading out the crowds more evenly throughout the entire event. This year they have repeated that strategy by giving John Prine the primo Thursday night slot and scheduling perennial MerleFest favorite Emmylou Harris for Sunday afternoon.

The folks at FEMA who were in charge of getting people out of Katrina-ravaged New Orleans last September could have learned a thing or two from the shuttle bus drivers at MerleFest. Armed with a fleet of old yellow school buses (are there any other kind?), these drivers move tens of thousands of people from the parking lots at the old Wilkesboro airport to the festival and back. Even at the end of an evening—when everyone is leaving the festival grounds at once—I’ve never had to wait more than about 20 minutes to board a bus.

The parking areas at the old airport are another aspect of MerleFest that people tend to take for granted. The traffic moves relatively smoothly for an event of this size—especially when you compare it to leaving, say, the Charlotte Coliseum after a concert. Plus, it’s free! What other big musical event provides free parking to its customers? I’ve been to events at Verizon Amphitheatre in Charlotte where they charged as much as $8 per car for the privilege of parking—that after spending as much as $50 or $60 to see a single band.

Which brings us to the issue of ticket prices at MerleFest. Yes, they are a little steep, especially if you are bringing a passel of teenagers with you. If you, however, are bringing in children 12 or under, they get in for free! When was the last time you went to the movies and they admitted children under 12 for free?

If you still think that MerleFest is too expensive, consider what you get for your money. At any one time, there are about ten stages of music to choose from. The bigger stages boast Grammy Award-winning artists while the smaller stages bring you the stars of the future. On Friday and Saturday, the music starts before 10 a.m. and keeps going until well after midnight. And at MerleFest, the chances of actually meeting (or at least getting close to) your favorite musicians are much better than at your average concert.

MerleFest also features workshops (free), demonstrations (free), and a kids’ area with separate stage, climbing wall and petting zoo (free). There are hiking trails, picnic areas, a mall filled with music-related merchandise, playgrounds, and much more.

Quite honestly, if you love bluegrass and Americana music, you can’t afford not to go to MerleFest.

Finally, on a personal note, I’d like to say how much I love this event and how lucky I am that it is held annually less than 30 miles from my home. This is my 17th consecutive year at the festival. I missed the first two, but have attended every MerleFest since 1990.

When I am down in Wilkesboro this week I will once again make the acquaintance of people who traveled many hundreds of miles for a chance to see Watauga County’s Doc Watson play live on stage.

It’s such a shame that more of his fellow Wataugans can’t be bothered to make the half-hour drive to do the same.