Last year was the 50th anniversary of Music in the Valley, which is free for musicians entering with an instrument. Located at Hale Farm and Village in Bath, Ohio, the event is typically held on the second weekend in July. Saturday is usually the busiest day, but I went on Sunday last year. Sadly, nobody I recognized was there and no one was playing old-time music. I walked through the grounds and right back to my car. What a bust.
However, what stands out from that milestone year was how the Western Reserve Historical Society (WRHS), which operates Hale Farm, was forcing music-playing guests to sign a "code of conduct" agreement before entering the festival. This seemed laughable as I don't believe those attending the wine tasting portion of the event were asked to sign such a contract. I've never seen a folk music patron behave in a disorderly manner at Music in the Valley, but those wine drinkers have been known to get a little squirrely. But alas.
While the wine tasting part of the event was only added in the last 10-15 years, Music in the Valley has remained free for those only interested in playing music, with a special side entrance helmed by the volunteers at Folknet, a Northeast Ohio-based collective who organize the "Folk" segment of the festival, as well as other concerts and musical outreach programs in the region. Those who wish to partake in the wine must enter through the main gatehouse and pay for the appropriate wrist band (~$35).
Hale Farm has always separated the music festivalgoers from the wine tasters, with various groups of musicians situated on the "farm" side near the welcome center and Hale homestead, while the wine vendors were located across the street on the "village" side. This year, however, the WHRS announced that they were flipping sides. This alteration came just two weeks before the festival, forcing Folknet to send out a flurry of notices to alert musicians about the sudden change. Not only were the folk music patrons being relocated to the village side, they also had to park in a totally different area and enter from what can only be described as the back door of the property.
Music in the Valley has endured other odd changes over the past few years. While the folk music festival portion of the event is still organized by Folknet, the involvement from Hale Farm has been inconsistent at best. Back in 2023, there was a concerted effort to include an educational aspect to the event, which included a fiddle workshop focused on Ward Jarvis, among other presentations, and these programs truly seemed to inject some positive energy into the event. Musicians could learn some new skills, while the wine patrons could learn more about the music and its history. However, the next year, all that went by the wayside, with those presenters receiving no responses from Hale Farm about organizing future programs.
Once upon a time, Hale Farm allowed on-site camping for those musicians who were planning to attend both days of the festival or were traveling from afar, but that is no longer allowed.
From the inconsistent communication to making the musicians feel like troublemakers with the whole code of conduct snafu last year and now moving the folk musicians to the back lot, it seems like the people who run Hale Farm are trying to edge out the music festival patrons. And sure, I understand that the wine tasting is what brings in the money. However, you can't tell me that those folk musicians aren't helping to promote the event. Just check out this year's flyer:
The musicians themselves may not pay to enter the festival, but they still bring business to Hale Farm. Although I don't think many of them partake in the wine, they do patronize the food vendors. From talking to people who have been involved with the event in the past, it seems that turnover at Hale Farm has resulted in regular changeover in whom Folknet and other musicians are dealing with to organize the event. Sadly, they seem less interested in making the event more welcoming to musicians.
My first time attending Music in the Valley was in 2014, when I carted around my then-infant son in a stroller. It was our first big solo father-son outing. The festival always conflicts with two important family birthdays (my wife and father), so there are years I haven't been able to attend. However, it is one of the most important folk music festivals in Northeast Ohio, considering its long running history and legacy of inclusivity and accessibility. I hope the WRHS and those at Hale Farm recognize what a gem they have and continue to support this event in the future.
I was back again this year, and I have to admit the new location was enjoyable for playing music. They had signs directing musicians to the Folknet entrance, and there was more shade available than I realized (although not as much as on the other side). My biggest gripe is that the food vendors were very far away. Thankfully, I ate at home beforehand and brought a large water bottle to stay hydrated. However, it would have been nice to have a food truck on the village side, as there were plenty of wine drinkers making the rounds to listen to the different musicians.
Fiddle presentation
Fiddler Paul Kirk and his student Mark McNulty gave a presentation at Music in the Valley related to the Ohio Arts Council Tradition Arts Apprenticeship program. I stopped over for a few minutes to listen to some tunes and hear about the program. Here's a photo from their presentation.
Buy me a coffee?
If you like what you see at The Glory-Beaming Banjo and want to see more, please consider showing your support by buying me a cup of coffee through my Ko-Fi account. Your donation will provide encouragement and help fund future blog posts. I appreciate your readership!
Comments
Post a Comment