The landrush is over and we are camped in and this morning we went to pick up the truck (Stage 5). Even through all of the rumors of Stage 5 being stolen have been greatly exaggerated, including a elicit trip to Tijuana Mexico and thirty illegal Mexicans .. Stage 5 has finally arrived at Winfield!! Craig and A.J. are giving the old ’54 a fresh coat of wax and buffing it up real “purddy”. Ya’ll come by and say hi …. as Craig says ….. Yeeeeeee Haaaaaaaw.
Monthly Archives: September 2013
Nine Eleven Two Thousand One
Five words I will never forget .. I will never forget that morning in the Pecan Grove … or the days that followed.
I was the only one awake at camp when Bob Dorman came into camp from town and said he had heard something on the radio about the twin towers on fire … we rigged up an old black and white TV with wires connected to the carport awning for better reception. As others in camp began to awake Dave Stewart came around the corner and said he had a color TV with better reception … … and the walls came tumblin’ down.
NEVER FORGET 9.11.2001
After the Sign-Up
This year after the Stage 5 sign-up is over, we will post the line up for all three days here on this blog so you will be able to easily access the schedule at any time with your computer, tablet or mobile device.
I have already spoken to Larry Junker about keeping the daily schedule in the Walnut Valley Voice. The Voice is the daily news sheet that has our schedule, along with the 4 main stages schedules and other interesting information about what is happening each day. You will also find contest winners listed in the Voice. Larry does a great job making sure the Voice is available early every morning at several locations around the festival. The Information Booth & Stage 5 are two of the places where you can find the Voice. If you see Larry walking around in the morning with an arm load of Walnut Valley Voices, be sure to tell him thanks for all of his hard work!!
And, if you wake up late and miss a copy of the Voice you can get the Stage 5 schedule info here at … www.cyberstage5.com
How Time Flies …
There’s a tremendous amount of dedication, planning, work and execution that goes into making a campground stage happen and run like clockwork, and when you hit a milestone it should be celebrated. This is exactly the reason I want to spend a little time today NOT talking about Stage 5 but instead … Stage 7.
This year Stage 7 marks their 15th year of providing a place where Walnut Valley attendees can showcase their craft. When beginning an endeavor like a campground stage you really never know where or what it will lead to, but you do it for fun, you do it because there is a need, you do it because of your love for the music and the musicians.
You go through lots of growing pains .. year after year when the festival is over this question always comes back to you .. How can we make it better? Then one day you turn around and you have been .. doing better for fifteen years!! It’s hard work, and long days and nights, and some of the most enjoyable times of your life … because you are doing it for all the right reasons!!!
So this year when you are trekking through the Pecan Grove and you happen across Stage 7 be sure to stop and tell them thanks for all their hard work and dedication over the years. Be sure to wish them a Happy 15th Year and celebrate with them for a while. Congratulations Stage 7 .. you guys rock!!!
Waiting …. waiting
Waiting to head to Winfield, and anticipating being there for the duration is so annoying … as I set here at this computer we have 5 more working days before we can leave. We do plan on going down for the weekend so a least it we get to break up the waiting. Just knowing that some of our friends are already there and having fun even makes the waiting harder. But soon enough we will be there reveling in the moment … then it will be over … and then the waiting begins all over again. Tick tock …. tick tock …. this clock moves so slow … tick ………… tock …………………………….. tick ………………… (sigh) See you all soon.