Dogtown Roadhouse: 302 S. Locust St., Floyd
Saturday, February 22, 2019 7:30 PM – 2:00 AM
If there’s one thing we’ve tried to do with Floyd Mardi Gras over the years, it’s to keep it fresh! The concept remains the same: great musicians coming together in unique combinations to have fun, and make fun for others, while playing the most danceable music this side of New Orleans.
This year is no exception! Music Road Co. and The Ambassador will join forces to create an all-star, funkerific, 13-piece, mega-danceable sensation! Before this mind-blowing climax to the evening, however, both bands will perform sets of their own. Getting things started will be Her Majesty. Headed by Lily Byler, this group of young musicians came together at Jefferson Center’s Music lab.
As a special treat for this Blue Mountain School fundraiser, each act will contain former Blue Mountain School students, parents, or both. Blue Mountain School is a contemplative, progressive private school that has served the Floyd and surrounding communities for over thirty-five years; offering a holistic approach to education – pre-school through middle school. Progressive education at Blue Mountain School promotes social-emotional learning and critical thinking through experiential activities. It also promotes creative expression in a collaborative, project-based curriculum. All ticket sales for the evening go to supporting this wonderful learning environment.
Prior to the show, the Voodoo Lounge (upstairs in the Dogtown Roadhouse) will be filled with delicious aromas as Chef Richard L. Perry returns to serve authentic, low country cuisine at the Krewe du Bleu pre-show dinner. Tickets for the feast will include entrance to the ball. Only $65!
The Voodoo Lounge will also host a silent auction, featuring local items and services, as well as original artworks from regional artists. Visitors will also have a chance to win tickets to Floydfest and Yoga Jam! For those who enjoy a mellower groove, the Voodoo lounge will be filled with live, acoustic music throughout the silent auction.
And if that isn’t enough music and excitement, the evening will continue with DJ Step, keeping the dancefloor jumping until 2:00 AM! Other features of the evening will include the 50/50 Raffle, the crowning of Floyd’s Mardi Gras King & Queen, and the Kiddy Gras Pajama Party! The Pajama Party is close by at the Floyd June Bug Center, so your kids can party while you do.
Floyd Mardi Gras is an 18+ event. Tickets are available at Dogtown Roadhouse and Blue Mountain School. For more information, or tickets to any of these events, (Krew De Bleu dinner, Mardi Gras Costume Party, or Kiddy Gras) check out the Floyd Mardi Gras Facebook Event or email mardigras@bluemountainschool.net.
Visiting all seven studios in one day is possible but taking two days in the Spring and three in the Fall is highly recommended. The slower pace allows for longer conversations with the artists, more time to enjoy the snacks at each stop, and more time to spend meeting other visitors with similar interests in the beautifully crafted work. Touring is also way more fun with friends and family; allowing groups to share a love of the work, as well as the artists of Floyd.
Fifth is Sarah McCarthy on Fairview Church Road. Sixth is Silvie Granatelli on Rock Church Road. And finally, not too far down the road from Silvie, is Benjie Osborne on Black Ridge Road. Donna Polseno presents at either Ellen or Benjie’s studio.
Visitors can kick things off with a cup of award-winning, Red Rooster Coffee from the Black Water Loft. Red Rooster was founded in 2001 by Floyd natives, Haden Polseno-Hensley and Rose McCutchan, who are both still roasting some of the best coffee in the world. Haden is also the son of 16 Hands member Donna Polseno, so the tour is a great chance to experience two generations of creative people, pursing their passions.
Virginia’s Blue Ridge Music Festival (VBRMF) provides opportunities for exciting classical music that is affordable and accessible. We sponsor dynamic youth programs, provide a range of grants and scholarships to support young, promising area musicians, and provide exceptional professional concerts to the larger community.
• “Home for the Holidays with the Wileys & Bouknights” on December 22, 2019, featuring Roanoke Symphony Orchestra Maestro, David Stewart Wiley, soprano Leah Marer Wiley, cellist Misha Wiley, soprano Tara Bouknight, and baritone Philip Bouknight. The concert will be at Celebration Hall, Floyd EcoVillage at 3:00 pm and will include classical favorites for the holidays, followed by a reception.
There is a broad range of grants and scholarships to assist young musicians. Among them, Suzuki violin instructor Elizabeth Shelor Matheson of Floyd received the David Wiley Sr. Scholarship for further violin study and teacher training. Heather Blake of Floyd received support to help prepare for the North Carolina School for the Arts high school program, where she will be a junior this year.
At the time, both had been working in the HVAC business for different companies. In 1990, however, they decided to team up and open their own full-service heating and air conditioning company called Tinbenders. The whimsical name comes from the fact that the partners made their own metal ductwork to help offset initial costs. The name also reflected their additional service of making and installing metal roofing.
In the Fall of 1995, Rick and Alan were approached by WaterFurnace International; an alternative heating and cooling company. WaterFurnace told the partners that there was an abundant source of free, renewable energy that could be used to heat a house in the winter, cool it in the summer, and provide hot water at the tap all year round. Skeptical yet intrigued, the Tinbender boys proceeded to have themselves trained in this alternative technology, and in 1996, they installed their first geothermal heat pump system. This kind of set-up delivers an amazing four units of energy for every one kilowatt of electric energy used. That is an efficiency rating of 400%!
Tinbenders continue to learn with ongoing training. They also constantly upgrade their services and products as the industry moves forward.
Ed tells us that the people of Floyd are so happy with Tinbenders that a lot of their business comes directly from references. They also get calls when folks see the Tinbenders vans driving up and down the roads of Floyd on other appointments. All in all, Tinbenders has a great reputation in Floyd County, and all the guys at Tinbenders appreciate the support the County has provided them.
Tinbenders, Inc. offers free estimates, maintenance contracts, system replacements, new installations, and 24-hour repair service. They also install geothermal systems, on demand water heaters, boilers, and radiant floor heating systems.
A crew set off across the east coast in an old farm truck with a brick oven built on its bed, baking beautiful pies everywhere they went; building the reputation of Dogtown Pizza. In the summer of 2010, however, after having travelled like this for a few years, a great permanent location presented itself. Dogtown settled in Floyd, Virginia.
Over the years, Dogtown Roadhouse has grown an amazing reputation due to its delicious, wood-fired pizza, as well as its sixteen local, regional, and national craft beers on tap! Their good name is also due to their extensive menu and full bar service.
In essence, Dogtown has become its own culture; filled with many different characters all coming together to create a community-based experience for all. Dogtown Roadhouse strives to provide a family-friendly environment that serves delicious pizza creations, as well as a variety of beverages. All this in one lively spot where people can enjoy the kind of great company and comradery that continues to build and foster lasting relationships.
For more information about Dogtown Roadhouse and Sun Music Hall, to peruse the menu, to see a calendar of events, or to book catering, visit online at www.dogtownroadhouse.com. You can also follow Dogtown Roadhouse on Facebook to keep up to date on acts hitting the stage!
It is possible for everyone visiting Chantilly Farm to reconnect with what is good, as numerous events are planned toward positivity, spirituality and common benefit. The Gospel Jubilee held each year reminds attendees of the beauty in creation and invites a spirit of worship to our mountains.
Fitness is key to body, health, and all -around wellness, so visitors are encouraged to make use of the extensive trail system at Chantilly. Not only for walking and hiking, but cycling events are also popular among locals and those traveling to our area. Tour de Floyd (hosted by Paul Lecoste each Spring for road cyclists) and Tour de Dirt (hosted by the Plenty Farm and Food Bank which runs annually for mountain bikers in November) both begin and end at Chantilly Farm.
Regional businesses, civic groups, and other interested parties are encouraged to take advantage of the farm’s first-rate camping facilities and venue infrastructure to host team building and vision retreats, group campouts and more. The venue features a newly added 9-hole leisure disc golf course, as well as acres of grasslands and woodlands perfect for picnicking, campfire chats, or enjoying the abundant wildlife and natural beauty of Floyd.
“We’ve farmed this valley for generations, and it always comes back to stewardship,” says Roger Slusher. “It’s the focus of our work. The direction we are always working towards is how we can make this operation sustainable for the long run in order to hand it over to the next generation in better shape than how we received it. Practices like cover cropping, minimum tillage, and rotational grazing go a long way.”
Two years ago, with an eagerness to provide for that community, Roger and Leslie Slusher approached their local Farm Credit loan officer with a vision of raising better food. Today, they are doing just that, having gathered an abundance of local support along the way.
In addition to delicious foods, Fields Edge Farm offers agritourism experiences for the everyone to enjoy. “We’re creating opportunities to get people out to the farm to learn about the things we grow,” says Kat. “To appreciate the scenery and connect with farmers in a new way.”
For information about upcoming events at the Farm, as well as locations where you can purchase Fields Edge Farm products, visit online at www.fieldsedgefloyd.com or follow Fields Edge Farm on social media.
Plenty! understands that there are many reasons a person might need assistance, such as a sudden loss of income due to a layoff, uncovered medical expense, or the death of a loved one that was also the primary provider. Many times, families need only temporary help. While a significant portion of the 585 families who received Plenty! assistance last year struggle to feed their families on an ongoing basis, 36% visited the food pantry only once! With food and community at the core of what they do, Plenty! is excited to join with Tour de Dirt to raise money to help support their mission.
The greenhouse at Willis Village Mart is typically full of flowers and vegetable plants for your garden needs during the spring, summer and fall months. Instead of lying dormant and empty during the cold winter months, however, the greenhouse was transformed last year into a donation area and place of giving! Individuals and families in need were able to shop for much-needed items for free. That’s right! All donated items were passed along to families in need for free. Neighbors Helping Neighbors was a go!
The winters in Floyd County can be brutal, and heating costs can be expensive. There’s a phrase around Willis/Buffalo Mountain/Indian Valley in the wintertime – ‘Never mind the forecast, we make our own weather here’. Thus, gently used clothes, shoes, coats, blankets, household items, toys, etcetera are greatly appreciated, and much needed by families who otherwise may not be able to afford these things. These donations will allow families some relief from choosing between paying the electric bill and having coats and warm clothing for the winter. All items will be collected at Willis Village Mart and then organized in the greenhouse for easier shopping.
Eventually, hymnals began to appear using the seven-note system: do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti. Each hymn began with singing the notes of the entire song prior to beginning the hymn, leading some to affectionately dub these groups ‘the fasola-folk’. Singers were arranged in a square, with the leader standing in the center: altos facing tenors and trebles facing basses. Different parts were often entered at intervals, forging the tune in a manner similar to a round.
The Floyd County Historical Society is paying homage to this traditional music as part of this year’s “Tribute to the Churches of Floyd County”. The current exhibit features Shape-Note hymnals from nearly every denomination in the county. The Floyd County Historical Society will host a public event on Saturday, November 9, 2019 featuring the history of shape-note singing, as well as the Floyd Shape-Note Singers at the Floyd Center for the Arts. The event will begin at 10:00 am with a brief Historical Society meeting followed by guest presenters and shape-note singers. This event is open to the public and the Historical Society invites everyone interested in this traditional music to attend.