Located near to the Blue Ridge Parkway in Patrick County, Virginia, FloydFest has become a constant on the calendars of outdoor lovers and festival-goers from across the region.
Every year, FloydFest features a mind-blowing lineup of musicians in one of the most picture-perfect Blue Ridge Mountain settings. Musical amazingness aside, FloydFest takes full advantage of its surroundings and beautiful property, offering a wide range of outdoor activities to attendees. As an outdoors magazine, that is music to our ears (pun intended).
When you need a break from the stage, the festival offers hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, slacklining, running, yoga, and even an 18-hole disc golf course. It’s the perfect festival for the outdoor recreation and music lover. With so much to do, see, and hear, it’s a good thing you have 5 days to soak it all in.
Start At The Outdoor Adventure Tent
Located in the main field, the Outdoor Adventure Tent is your hub for everything outdoors at FloydFest. From guided hikes and bike rides to free adventures and giveaways, start here before you go outside and play. The tent also features various outdoor brands and retailers offering sales and interactive demos with gear.
Hike, Bike, And Run The Moonstomper Trail
This hippy highway meanders through the forest on the outskirts of the property. Here you’ll find hikers, bikers, ENO Hammock hangers, and everything in between. The Moonstomper connects the village, various campsites, stages, and greenways together. Your favorite disc golf company, Innova, sponsors the 18-hole course along the trail as well. Check out the festival’s site map to plan your route.
The Moonstomper will play host to the Back Country Ski & Sport 5k Trail Running Race. This is a free event to enter and features prizes for the top runners in each category. The race is at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 29 with a runners meeting 15 minutes before. Participants can sign up any time at the Outdoor Adventure Tent.
Hike With The Get Out More Tour
The Backpacker Get Out More Tour is offering several hikes near FloydFest this year. Hikers can take on three different hikes that range from 1-11 miles and vary in difficulty. All of the hikes start at Rocky Knob Picnic Area. New for this year is a sunrise hike at Buffalo Mountain on Friday morning. A short but steep 11.5-mile hike that offers incredible views at 3,971 feet in elevation. On a clear day, you can easily see Pilot Mountain in North Carolina. Don’t forget to bring your headlamp.
The Merry Moonstompers’ Famous Belcher Mountain Beatdown
A guided mountain bike ride, the Belcher Mountain Beatdown takes you along a 19-mile route with 1600′ of climbing and 3400′ of descending. Wait, how am I descending so much with so little climbing? At the end of your ride, there will be a catered lunch and shuttle waiting to bring you back to the festival. I think we can all appreciate a lengthy descent without a ton of suffering beforehand. This ride is on Saturday only and starts at 9:30 a.m. It is limited to 20 riders, so get to the Outdoor Adventure Tent asap if you want to sign up. Oh, and don’t forget to bring your helmet!
Float or Paddle Down The Little River
FloydFest has teamed up with On The Water, providing daily float trips down the Little River in Floyd County. You can choose from a tube, kayak, or canoe to drift down an undeveloped stretch with small whitewater. The float trips are suitable for all ages and last about 2.5 to 3 hours. Your tickets include a fully catered lunch and are purchased on a first-come, first-serve basis.
And Of Course, Check Out Some Bands!
While FloydFest may well be one of the more progressive festivals when it comes to outdoor recreation, the music is what it’s all about! Featuring eight different stages across the property, there are over 80 bands playing throughout the weekend. Mainstream acts include the likes of Foster The People, Old Crow Medicine Show, Jason Isbell, Langhorne Slim, Tyler Childers, Gov’t Mule, and Keller Williams to name a few.
Oh, did we mention that we will be there? Be sure to swing by the Blue Ridge Outdoors tent, grab the latest issue of the mag, and enter to win some free swag!
Justin Forrest is an outdoor writer, fly fishing addict, and co-founder of Narrative North—based in Asheville, N.C. He posts pictures of cats and fishing on Instagram sometimes.
