A Wealth of
Community Event
Experience
My philosophy is that Community Events are Community Education.
Few things can bring a community together for a discussion like a festival.
Street festivals and celebrations give a community a chance to honor, heal, and plan.
Launch of the James River Batteau
Each June, dedicated crews float the James River in hand built boats of the type used to haul tobacco and other goods to Richmond in the United States' Early Republic period. Lynch's Landing took on the defunct Launch Festival in 2012. We refocused the event to celebrate the history and ecology of the river and region. With music, educational vendors, crafts, and historic demonstrations, the Batteau Launch became a celebration in the James River and its place in Virginia history.
Friday Cheers
During the period I was Events Director at Lynch's Landing, Friday Cheers underwent several changes, including adding the the Cheers 4th of July Fest. We added sponsor opportunities, a season pass, credit card payment and other improvements. On any given night, Friday Cheers required the management of upwards of thirty volunteers.
First Friday
Like in many communities, First Friday is an arts crawl for galleries and museums. First Friday was a part of Lynch's Landing suite of events 2011 - 2014. During this period Lynch's Landing secured funding for a free trolley, purchased signage, and developed a marketing brand for this arts focused event.
Get!
DownTown
Get! Downtown celebrates the return of students to Lynchburg each September. A time to visit the fun and funky side of our community, Get! is a street festival that highlights Downtown Lynchburg. During my time at Lynch's Landing, Get! Downtown grew in popularity. We worked to improve the flow of the festival and moved critical components such as bus stops and volunteer check in to make the event run more smoothly for guests and vendors.
Blowing Rock's
Art In the Park
A sophisticated arts and fine craft show, I worked to modernize the festival jury process, moving submissions from a traditional slide submission to an on-line format. During my tenure, Art In The Park had to shift designs several times due to construction in the area which presented special challenges for festival design and marketing.
Blue Ridge Wine & Food Festival
Now called Savor Blowing Rock, the Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival celebrates Wine and Food culture through a weekend in April. During the period that I was a part of the planning for the festival, the festival grew tremendously, adding events like an Iron Chef cooking style competioin, downtown merchant promotions, and cooking and wine classes.
Symphony by the Lake
Symphony by the Lake is the highlight of the summer in Blowing Rock. An outdoor symphony concert which attracts thousands, this event requires the management team to organize twenty plus volunteers. My role with this event included modernizing ticket sales at the entrance gate point of sale.
Blue Ridge Heritage Days
A Celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge ParkwayA one-time celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway, this event included a festival on Main Street. Designed to honor the impact that the Parkway has had on our community, we developed events that put Blowing Rock's history on display, including a sold out Ghost Tour, architecture walks, a street dance, and a host of vendors.
My sister, Thomas Jefferson, myself, and my mom at the Batteau Launch.
Other Events
Blowing Rock's Winterfest
Winterfest brought thousands of people to Blowing Rock during the coldest month of the year for a fun festival with an icy polar plunge as the centerpiece. I served on multiple committees with this festival and always tried to judge the Chili Cook-off.
The Blowing Rock Farmer's Market
The Chamber developed the Blowing Rock Farmer's Market in 2010. I worked with volunteers to recruit vendors and with the town for street closures.
Conferences and Educational Events
Create Lynchburg
CVCC's 50th Anniversary Fall Festival
Lunch To Learn, A Series on Small Business Topics
The 33rd Annual Appalachian Studies Conference
The 32nd Annual Appalachian Studies Conference
The 31st Annual Appalachian Studies Conference
The 30th Annual Appalachian Studies Conference
The John B. Stephenson Symposium on Appalachian Studies
Some photos on this page are courtesy of The Blowing Rock TDA, Amanda Fife Lugenbell photographer.