By Kyran Williams

As Spring comes to life along the Blue Ridge Parkway, the first annual Floyd Herb & Plant Festival is scheduled to make its debut April 17-19, 2020. Along with a weekend of immersion into the herbal world through free workshops and exploring over eighty vendors, Herb Fest offers a wide array of activities and fun for the whole family!
Born out of the desire to highlight and share ancestral wisdom, Floyd Herb Fest is a wonderful, co-created event. Brought to life through a grass-roots movement of local individuals who have a deep connection to the ridges and hollers of the region, Floyd Herb Fest is a deep dive into the natural world of Appalachia. A unique gathering, Floyd Herb Fest spotlights the natural world of Southwestern Virginia, encourages healthy interactions with the land, and celebrates small, earth-based businesses.
At the Village Market, visitors can find a wide selection of locally grown plants, natural products, and artisan offerings. Throughout the weekend, visitors may join free, hands-on workshops and classes, enjoy the services at the Healers Oasis, take part in the drum circle, explore alongside their children in the Land of the Little Ones, and much more! Come for the day or stay for the weekend!
Chantilly Farm will be the venue for the event. The Farm is situated on two-hundred acres of woodlands, hiking trails, and streams, providing the perfect backdrop to connect with nature. Dinner and storytelling will kick off Floyd Herb Fest on Friday evening, April 17. Renowned folklorist and naturalist, Doug Elliott, will be on hand for a journey into woods lore, weeds, and wildwoods wisdom, as well as stories, songs, and lore celebrating the natural world and useful wild plants. Known for his lively tales, knowledge of Appalachian plants, and lore of the wildwoods, Doug carries generations of wisdom and has a unique flair for sharing it.
Reservations are required for Friday buffet dinner and storytelling. The weekend Village Market opens Saturday morning at 9:30, and will feature over eighty vendors offering plants, natural products, herbal remedies, and artisan crafts, along with other unique items.

Rain or shine, the Village Market will be a bustling place of quality shopping and learning experiences. In-booth demonstrations, hands-on workshops, and in-depth classes will be taking place throughout the day. Visitors may join a plant walk with Doug Elliott in the morning, or CoreyPine Shane in the afternoon. Folks can learn about Herbal First Aid, discover Native Plants, explore Botanical Farming, and much more are among the thirty-five free classes being offered.
Health and healing come in many forms. The Healers Oasis will be a space to enjoy morning yoga, soak in a woods sounds bath, learn about Reiki, and explore intuitive healing. Featuring local facilitators, massage, therapeutic touch, reflexology, sound healing, reiki, yoni care, herbal consultations, and other services will be offered throughout the weekend.
Connection and community are at the core of the Herb Fest weekend. In generations past, the community fire was a place of gathering, as well as a hub for storytelling. Our Sacred Earth fire will burn throughout the event, and Fire Keepers will hold the space while hosing facilitators. Saturday activities around the fire will include the DragonFly Drum School leading a drum circle and sharing sacred songs. In the evening, visitors will be welcome to join together for a ceremony, fire spinners, and may drum into the night with Cave Man Jones.
The Floyd Herb & Plant Festival invites everyone to gather around the fire on Sunday to get moving with Kyra Aulani, who will be teaching African dance while sharing the history and stories behind the steps. For the youth and those young at heart, the Land of the Little Ones will be filled with opportunities for interactive learning and exploration, all weekend long. Children can plant an herb garden, take part in nature discovery activities, and enjoy eco-friendly crafts.
An intentional Youth Program will be offered Saturday, as well. This program offers interactive classes for each age group. Young ones will explore nature through plant walks, songs, stories, a tea ceremony, and other fun activities. Class size will be limited, so registration is required.
Spring is in the air! Let’s celebrate with a Wagon Parade! Bring your wagon and get ready for the festivities. Ancient Mother’s will have supplies on hand for you to get crafty. For a five-dollar donation to Floyd Herb Fest, visitors may decorate their nature-themed wagons and enter to win prizes. Once the wagons have been decked out, visitors may stop by the Fairy Land tent and get a Fairy makeover. Taking place at noon on Saturday, and led by our Grand Marshals, the Tuxedo Ducks, Plant Fairies from Ferrum College’s theatre group will also be joining the parade.
In addition to the Village Market, the final day of Floyd Herb Fest will offer in-depth immersions and free activities. Visitors may learn about the natural world and how to incorporate herbal medicine into their homes through one of the many hands-on classes being offered. Explore growing mushrooms, or farming and preserving ginseng. Take a tasting tour of Appalachian herbal medicine, or trek into the woods for wild foraging and cooking.
Come enjoy the plant sale, take in a class, or enjoy the services offered in the Healers Oasis. The weekend at Floyd Herb Fest will be a fun and informative way to connect with the herbal community and the natural world.
There will be activities for people of all ages to enjoy at this free family-friendly event, nestled between Buffalo Mountain and the Blue Ridge Parkway.
April 17-19th at Chantilly Farm 2697 Franklin Pike SE, Floyd, VA www.floydherbfest.com
https://www.facebook.com/FloydHerbFest