Recently there was a video on YouTube that provided an interesting perspective on the annual Appalachian Sting Band Festival, better known as “Clifftop.” During the interview it was pointed out that there is a stage where people perform (band, dance, and individual contests) and, unlike other music festivals where there is a lineup of bands , Clifftop is more “participatory” than “presentation.” And I will tell you that this being our 6th trip to this festival we very much participated in playing music most of time we were there.
At previous gatherings, our time was somewhat evenly split between watching the various contests (and in some cases playing in a couple), dancing (some flat foot but mostly square dancing), taking long walks to the other campsites, and playing music with others (i.e., jams). This year it was all about playing music but we did get in some long walks and a bit of dancing. We played most of day and through most of the night and got to camp and play with our dear friends and meeting others from far away places such as Scotland, New Zealand, England, and Canada. Our new tradition of holding a Saturday night fun jam until very early into Sunday morning continues which includes playing and singing enjoyable variations of favorite tunes like “Hangman’s Reel” and “Boil Them Cabbage Down.” There are lots and lots of pictures to share and it is hoped that you will gain a sense of how much we enjoy attending and participating at this event. Special thank you to Sid and his wonderful family for helping set up our campsite and providing us lots of good food and drinks.