BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
LOVELY — Get ready for the Barefoot Festival to debut in Martin County on Nov. 1 and 2, bringing music, community and culture together on a reclaimed strip mine on North Wolf Creek Road in Lovely.
The two-day event promises to be like nothing you have experienced. With live performances from some of the region’s best musicians, attendees will be treated to an eclectic blend of sounds all while surrounded by stunning views from the former mountaintop coal mine in the midst of ecological regeneration.
Festival-goers can enjoy thrilling horse shows by champion equestrian Erin Elizabeth ONeill and Dawn Star Stables, as well as a marketplace of arts, crafts and food vendors. With activities for kids, free tent camping and shuttle services, it is just what Martin County folks are looking for.
And admission is free.
Festival host Renew Appalachia, supported by James L. Webb of James E. Webb Musical Repair & Sales and the Stidham Old-Time Music Association in Tomahawk, has curated an impressive lineup of musical acts.
Performers include Kill Devil Hillbillies, Nathan Coots & the Coyotes, Phill Barnett & The Rockhouse Renegades, Two of a Kind, Adalyn Ramey, Ditch Lillies, Janean Freeman, Ethan Allen, Jaden Wright, Pierceton Hobbs, John Haywood, Andy Milliken and James Webb N’ Friends.
Beyond music, the festival has a deeper connection to the land where it will take place. Lauren Traitz and Richard Schmikler, who live on the old Wolf Creek No. 4 Mine site and work for Renew Appalachia, hope to introduce both artists and the community to this reclaimed strip mine where they oversee various ecological regenerative projects. Those projects include the planting of hundreds of thousands of high-value native trees, efforts to restore soil health, and forest farming and foraging initiatives to name a few.
The couple’s vision is connecting people and the land, hoping the community and artists alike will find inspiration and return in the future.
“When we first got involved, we knew that we wanted to have a really strong Appalachian cultural emphasis,” Traitz said. “We both love music and events, and so much of the music I love has its roots in this area. Once we got to know the reclaimed strip mine sites we work on, we, alongside [Renew Appalachia founder Cliff Smith], could see the incredible opportunity for an outdoor venue.
“One of the most beautiful things we could imagine happening—seeing our vision come to life in a way that’s good for both the land and the community—is opening the gates for folks to share and experience it here on these strip mine sites.”
The festival kicks off Nov. 1 with the gates opening at 4 p.m. and musical performances running from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The next day, Nov. 2, gates open at noon followed by horse shows at 1 p.m. and music until 10 p.m.
A special jam session led by James L. Webb and multi-instrumentalist John Haywood will close the event from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., inviting other musicians to join in.
Now that attendees know what they can look forward to, here is how they can enjoy it all.
Food vendors will be on-site offering a variety of delicious options, including Smokin BBQ, Angie’s Bloomin’ Onion and Cane Creek Jerky. Other vendors will be selling traditional Appalachian potluck dishes.
Several local artisans, crocheters, jewelry makers and specialty vendors have also secured spots, adding a marketplace vibe.
Vendor spots remain available and are free to local sellers. Traitz welcomes all vendors. Those interested can email Traitz at team@renewappalachia.org.
The festival site is located at the old Holty Branch slate dump on the hill behind the Wolf Creek No. 4 Mine (2.4 miles south of the KY-292 and KY-1714 junction in Lovely, coordinates 37.812344, -82.425574). An old coal mine sign at the bridge next to KY-1714 is labeled “Ambulance Entrance Holty Branch.”
Shuttles will run from the railroad track at No. 4 Mine during the first and last hour of each day, but attendees are also welcome to drive up the maintained one-lane dirt road. Signs created by Ward’s Signs will mark the way.
Although the event is free, Traitz encourages attendees to reserve tickets, shuttle rides and tent camp spots in advance via Eventbrite at eventbrite.com/e/barefoot-festival-2024-martin-county-ky-tickets-1004667967937.
“It will give us an idea of what to prepare for,” she said.
Renew Appalachia is getting help from plenty of folks in the community. Benjamin York, raised on Emily Creek and involved in Renew Appalachia’s work, is excited about the festival’s potential to bring people together and revitalize the area.
“I was raised here, and I remember when we had the Liberty Fest,” York said. “I’m hoping this event will bring people together in a relaxed way. We used to be neighbors around here, and I want that feeling back—everyone being family. … I want my community to have something and be proud of where they’re from.”
Traitz joined York’s sentiment about community.
“It feels like the two most amazing things in Appalachia are just endless gifts—the arts and the incredible folks here,” she said.
On the festival’s name that has caught local attention, York revealed that the inspiration came from a story he shared about a charity bringing shoes into the county to give to children.
“Even after they brought all these new shoes, these kids were running around barefoot. Not because they didn’t have shoes but because they were enjoying life, feeling the grass between their toes,” York explained. “Barefoot [Festival] is about feeling and enjoying nature again.”
Traitz noted the deep connection Appalachian people have to the land, saying, “It’s so beautiful.”
Several folks got a shoutout from Traitz for helping with the festival. Jared Goforth’s carpentry students at the Martin County Area Technology Center ranked special. The students built the festival stage in four parts that will be assembled on the festival site.
Festival-goers should bring lawn chairs, blankets and whatever makes them comfortable. For everyone’s convenience Dirtyworks portable restrooms will be on-site.
Follow Barefoot Festival and Renew Appalachia on Facebook for updates and information.
