Suwannee Spring Reunion: The Ultimate Family Festival
Photos By David Lee: Gypsyshooter Unless Otherwise Specified
I hear the question about once a week: Are there any festivals that are family-friendly? While a couple immediately come to mind, the one that stands out the most is Suwannee Spring Reunion. The festival has operated under this name for only two years but has a rich history under the title Springfest – the ultimate family festival weekend. Spring Reunion is an appropriate title given the fact that attendees typically return every year to experience this event at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, creating tradition on top of memories. This year’s event was held March 22 through 25, and it was packed with talent and fun for the whole family to enjoy. Here are five of the things that made this Spring Reunion a weekend to remember:
1. The Nature
One of the things that makes Suwannee the happiest place on earth (move over, Disney) is the breathtaking nature of the park. Immediately noticeable are the Spanish moss-draped oak trees as far as the eye can see. If those old trees could talk, I would lie in a hammock and listen to their stories forever.
I elected to go hiking one morning through a nature trail behind the Loop camping area, which led me to Suwannee Springs, the Spirit of Suwannee’s sister park. Suwannee Springs is a dream for nature lovers and photographers, and the the hike to get there is nothing short of majestic. If you have never explored this best-kept secret, I highly recommend doing so.
A trip to Suwannee isn’t complete without stopping by the river. This iconic black water system is accented by eroded limerock, soft beach sand, and trees with exposed root systems that have grown through the rock walls. The water gets its black appearance from the decomposition of leaves and is truly one of Florida’s most wonderful sights. The water was rather cold this weekend, but a few brave souls still jumped in for a swim.
The nature is one of the biggest reasons why the Spirit of the Suwannee is the world’s most perfect venue.
2. The Camping
The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park is known for its camping and amenities, but the camp areas come to life with the breath of the attendees. Decorated campsites with colorful tapestries provide the scenery for countless campground jams. Take a walk through camp, and you are sure to catch incredible strumming, picking, and singing any time of day or night. I spent the weekend camped in the Loop area and got to witness some camp jams that rivaled the stage talent.
3. The Kids’ Tent
An unbelievable amount of energy goes into making Spring Reunion inviting for the whole family. The organizer of this space is Miss Tania (Tania & Magic Moon Traveling Circus), who has committed countless hours into this labor of love since 1997. Many organized and freestyle activities were hosted throughout the weekend, including dress-up, jewelry-making, rock-painting, ukulele workshops, yoga, scavenger hunts, drum circles, clowns and jugglers, bingo games, painting hour with the park’s incredible artist Bean Spence, and even a carnival with a parade!
The activity that most stood out was the famous Talent Show, held at the Music Farmers Barn stage Saturday night. Kids signed up throughout the weekend to showcase their special talents for a packed house. The show featured little hula hoopers, musicians, singers, storytellers, flag spinners, and more. I’d be lying if I said this didn’t turn out to be one of my favorite parts of the whole festival, and I am grateful for the effort Tania and her team put into making this noncompetitive event one of the special Spring Reunion memories you can’t get at any other festival.
4. The Music Farmers Barn
Think of this as the Kids’ Tent for adults. This star-studded interactive area was open Friday and Saturday and offered workshops all weekend where patrons could learn guitar with Tom Nelly and Roy Book Binder, mandolin with Mickey Abraham, banjo with Jeff Mosier, fiddle and banjo with Holly Riley, and participate in a “bring your own instrument” hands-on workshop hosted by the Live Oak Music and Arts Foundation, Inc.
Lee Hunter and Jeff Bradley hosted a Performance 101 workshop, Sloppy Joe held an open jam, and Jeff Bradley did a Comedy Plus set described as “Penn and Teller meets Cirque Du Soleil.” Several artists stopped in to play songs and tell stories from the road including Annie Wenz, Ralph Rodenbury, Nikki Talley and Jason Sharp, and The Adventures of Annabelle Lyn.
The action-packed creative space was buzzing with talent, artist interaction, and entertainment all weekend. It’s no wonder the barn is a fan favorite and a staple of Spring Reunion.
5. The Music
This year’s reunion packed some serious heat on the talent bill. Is there a such thing as too much good music? Decidedly no, but this weekend delivered a nearly overwhelming amount of musical joy for the fans to enjoy, packaged in monster sets and collaborations by some of the finest musicians in bluegrass/Americana.
Billy Strings
I would typically save the best for last, but Billy Strings and his crew blew the doors off the entire weekend with two days of monumental sets that ranged from emotional and powerful to playful, keeping the crowd on the edge of their seats. Strings made his first trip to Suwannee a memorable one, playing three with his band, including a special Doc Watson tribute set with covers of the late legend’s material.
Strings played some monster covers over the weekend including Garcia’s and Grisman’s “Dreadful Wind and Rain” and Grateful Dead’s “China Doll.”
The Doc Watson setlist included “Way Downtown,” “Salt Creek/Old Joe Clark,” “Along the Road,” “Tom Dooley,” “Tennessee Stud,” “The Cuckoo Bird,” “Wagoner’s Lad,” “Am I Born To Die,” “Steamline Canonball,” “Summertime,” “Beaumont Rag,” “Little Sadie,” “D For Doc,” “John Henry,” and “The Train That Carried My Girl From Town.”
It is no surprise that everything Billy Strings touches turns to gold. He proved to have endless stamina, talent, and positive energy throughout the weekend with a packed schedule. His thoughtful delivery and individual flair made each set equally engaging and unique in its own way.
The Infamous Stringdusters
Founded in 2007, The Infamous Stringdusters burst onto the Bluegrass scene and immediately garnered the respect of musicians and fans alike. Their first album Fork in the Road earned them 2007 International Bluegrass Music Association awards for Emerging Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year, a rather impressive feat. Since then the band has continued to deliver innovative and powerful new songs. With a heavy emphasis on original music, the Dusters sound has remained true to their origins while constantly challenging themselves to create their own vision. The Stringdusters finally received the coveted Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album in 2018.
Riding the wave of their recent accolades, The Infamous Stringdusters rolled in on their shiny new tour bus with ample time before their first set on Saturday. They are no strangers to the park and were welcomed back as old friends. These guys know how to put on a show. Drawing from their early jamband roots, they are masters not only of their music but of stage performance. You can’t help but fall into the groove when they hit the stage. They played songs from just about all of their eight albums during their sets to the delight of the crowd. With a nod from guitarist Andy Falco, dobro player extraordinaire Andy Hall instantly takes off with a melody and runs with it. When you see the smile and that nod, you know that you are about to witness something amazing. Works every time!
Trevor Shaw below proudly displays the final Infamous Stringdusters setlist for the Sunday show:
Donna the Buffalo
If the Spirit of Suwannee was personified into one act, it would be Donna the Buffalo. The band has played at Suwannee more than any other band, tallying well over 100 energizing sets. They played the Amphitheater stage Saturday night, and I came to the conclusion that it is physically impossible to be still at a DTB set. I watched the fans’ wild dance party as much as I watched the stage itself. Throughout the entire set, the moment that was most magical to me was hearing their extended medley of “Everybody Gets High on Love” with several thousand viewers of all ages singing and dancing in unison. It was beautifully symbolic, and you could feel the connection with every single person at the venue.
They closed out the weekend with a sunset performance. The intermittent rain showers drove a few people home early, but the ones who stayed got an intimate production in a magical atmosphere with some of the best sounds in the bluegrass/Americana genre.
The Grass Is Dead
Another fan favorite, The Grass Is Dead threw down performances on both Thursday and Friday that were sheer perfection. Their masterfully calculated bluegrass renditions of Grateful Dead tracks have been crowd pleasers for two decades and counting. Billy Gilmore hosted this year’s Saturday night Reunion Jam, where several members played with members of The Infamous Stringdusters, Rev. Jeff Mosier, the Jon Stickley Trio, Front Country, Sloppy Joe, Quartermoon, Lyndsay Pruett, Ralph Roddenbery, Mill Train, Mickey Abraham, Zebulon Bowles, Pickled Holler, and more.
Larry Keel Experience
The Larry Keel Experience knocked it out of the park with their classic rock-meets-bluegrass compositions and blues-rock vocals. Both of their sets were intense, soulful, and capturing. They invoked a certain nostalgia inside me and felt both new and familiar at the same time. They were definitely a weekend highlight for anyone who saw them.
Jon Stickley Trio
If I put together a bluegrass top three, the Jon Stickley Trio would be on it without a doubt. To say they are a pleasure to witness would be an understatement. The group closed out the amphitheater Thursday, played a sunset performance on the Porch Stage Friday, and shut down the music hall Saturday. They have a way of taking you through a wide spectrum of emotions with their complex and elite instrumentals, and their stage presence is fierce.
Verlon Thompson and Friends
“I’m a man of few words…” *silence*… *laughter* “I was a square when you were around. See what I did there? A… round.” *laughter*
Verlon Thompson is as charming and funny as he is talented. He is the guy who wrote all your favorite country songs you hear on the radio. It was a humbling feeling sitting in the Music Hall when the stage manager leans during Thompson’s set with Jim Lauderdale and Shawn Camp and says, “See those three guys up there? You’re looking at nine Grammies on that stage right now.” What a great way to observe three of the most talented musicians and songwriters in the country/bluegrass scene, on a small stage in front of 450 people.
I was able to catch Thompson sharing the stage with two absolute muses, Amy Helm and Nikki Talley, for another treat. Amy’s and Nikki’s soul-piercing vocals mixed with Verlon’s world-class style was a treat for everyone lucky enough to witness what Thompson described as “two beautiful and talented women sitting next to an old fart.”
Thompson made a few other appearances including a touching duo with Shawn Camp at the amphitheater featuring the songs of Guy Clark and an afternoon amphitheater performance.
Sloppy Joe
With a sound this different and hip-shaking, it’s no wonder the Sloppy Joe band made up their own subgenre of bluegrass they playfully refer to as “Slopgrass.” They maintain a strong presence at Suwannee both on stage and their camp, “Slopryland.”
Flawless strings, distinct vocals, magnificent harmonies, and fan interaction make them a winner at any of the park’s events. Did I mention that open jam in the barn with them earlier? What a class act they are, and I look forward to seeing them play at Suwannee for years to come.
Reverend Jeff Mosier
Jeff Mosier has played a major role in the evolution of bluegrass as we know it. He started experimenting with combining classic bluegrass with rock’n’roll and has been an inspiration not only to fans but also to other musicians. He played two sets featuring his new band Biscuit Tragedy, closed the porch stage on Friday with a condensed group, and hosted a banjo workshop. He brought his classic style to the table surrounded by carefully selected band members for a groundbreaking set of performances.
…And More
This weekend packed so much talent into 4 days that seeing it all would be impossible. I was able to catch a glimpse of other phenomenal performances from the Habanero Honeys, Front Country, Grayson Capps, Quartermoon, Roy Book Binder, and Grandpa’s Cough Medicine.
Other fantastic acts of the weekend included The Adventures of Annabelle Lyn, Mill Train, Annie Wenz, David Bromberg Quintet, Dar Williams, Big Cosmo, and Ralph Roddenbery, as well as a special performance from the Suwannee Spirit Kids’ Music Camp.
With the elite music billing, activities, workshops, and scenery, Suwannee Spring Reunion is one of the best family-friendly music events in the country. Huge thanks to the staff at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park for nailing this event year after year, because it wouldn’t be the event that it has grown to be without them. This year’s theme was “Sowing the Seeds of Love,” and every person who attended felt that theme resonate deeply.
Until 2019, we will all be daydreaming of our favorite family reunion. Until then, friends new and old.