A celebration of music, art and nature in the rolling foothills of southwest Virginia, mere miles from the North Carolina border, Rooster Walk turns a typically sleepy, rural area into a mecca for the true folk-hearted. Rock gently in your hammock, stretched between the trees of Pop’s Farm, and feel that bluegrass twang fill the warm Virginian air. This year, Emmylou Harris and Corey Wang will headline while countless local bluegrass groups will wail (acoustically, that is) across the festival’s six stages. On your way between sets, rustle up some farm-to-table grub at the Grill Truck or the Sugar Shack. Find refuge in the Healing Arts Pine Grove with group yoga, aromatherapy or a reiki session. But the question on everyone’s mind: will there be real roosters? Will they walk? Answer: no. But maybe that’s for the best.
Even for those not strictly coming for that sweet buttery folk, the weekend has become a special occasion for families in the region. Twice voted the region’s #1 charitable event, Rooster Walk’s namesake isn’t actually for the love of poultry. The event got its start as a memorial in 2010 for two childhood best friends, Edwin “the Rooster” Penn and Walker Shank, who died in 2007 and 2008. In the years after the tragic dirt bike accident and rare heart condition that claimed their friends’ lives, mutual pals banded together with the idea of a festival to honor their lives. Proceeds from Rooster Walk go, in part, to charity and fund a college scholarship in the boys’ names at their former high school.
The Specs
- Over 5,000 people expected to attend
- GA tickets are selling fast, but 3-day and 4-day passes are still available for $150 +fees and $175 +fees, respectively. You can also check out the different sorts of VIP tickets available here
- Need the scoop on the rest of the area? Check out Fifty Grande’s Virginia guide
FAQs
What is the closest airport to Rooster Walk?
To get to Axton, you’ll first have to fly into Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) in Greensboro, NC. You’ll need a car to drive the 50 miles up to Virginia, as there’s no public transit available out there.
Where is Rooster Walk happening?
Pop’s Field, 675 Hobson Rd, Axton, VA 24054.
Can I bring kids?
The more the roostier. Kids under 12 are free to enter, accompanied by an adult.
Can I bring outside food?
Outside food and non-alcoholic bevs are permitted at Rooster Walk and the campsites, but all alcohol must be purchased within the music viewing areas. Alcohol cannot be brought back to campsites.
What’s the deal with camping?
Car camping is huge at Rooster Walk, all you need is a Premium or GA Near Car Camping pass, which will let you camp next to or within 100 feet of your vehicle. A shower trailer is available for both GA and VIP admission for $5 per shower (cash only).
I’m driving, where should I park?
On-site parking is only available with the purchase of special on-site parking or premium glamping/car camping passes. Otherwise, offsite parking is located at Moms Field and offers a free shuttle to the festival site. Motorcycles also require individual parking passes.
Which artists are on the Rooster Walk lineup?
Emmylou Harris, Cory Wong, Broke Mountain Bluegrass Band featuring Travis Book of the Infamous Stringdusters, Anders Beck of Greensky Bluegrass, Robin Davis, Jon Stickley of Jon Stickley Trio & Andy Thorn of Leftover Salmon, North Mississippi Allstars, Big Something, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, Tauk Moore, Jim Lauderdale & The Game Changers, Dogs in a Pile, The Seldom Scene, The Mountain Grass Unit, Couch, Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast, Yarn, Rooster Walk House Band, Arkansauce, Sneezy, The Mountain Grass Unit, Isaac Hadden Organ Trio, Sol Driven Train, J & The Causeways, Kaira Ba, The Collection, Sticks N Thorns, Travis Book & Friends, Colby T. Helms & The Virginia Creepers, Clay Street Unit, The Jared Stout Band, Lillie Mae, King Hearted Strangers, Holler Choir, Mighty Joshua, TC Carter Band, Lua Flora, Big Fat Gap, Florencia & The Feeling, The Shoaldiggers, Sela Campbell, Jules & The Agreeables, DJ What, Magician Hunter Rhodes, Pirates of the Piedmont, Raffi Kids Set and Sugarbush.
Poster
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