The Suwannee Roots Revival music festival held its fourth annual concert at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL. The four-day festival ran from Thursday, October 10th through Sunday, October 13th, and featured a variety of top-rated musical acts. The family-friendly event is situated in northern Florida where concertgoers and campers can relax amidst the Spanish covered Oaks, a lake, a river, or a beach.

I’ve had a few whirlwind romances with festivals before, but I’m infatuated with you, dear Shoe Fest 2019. The understated red and gold signs off the highway invited us in and although I cannot find the right words to say, I shall try to express how I love thee. From the moment we entered Camp Shaw-waw-nas-see in Manteno IL, we knew that this would be a truly special Labor Day weekend. There was a twinkle in security’s eyes when they approved our non-firework no glass bottles camper ready wagon. They waved us through as if it were their job to bring the most satisfaction and to welcome us in, accepting us as another member to the Shoe Family Tribe. We quickly and easily parked, gazing out over the sea of cars in anticipation of the festival grounds.

Unlike larger festivals, Shoe Fest is a unique festival, in that it offers patrons folk-rooted music with multiple interactive experiences. The main focus of the festival is on bringing people of all ages together to relish in a carefree community where they can leave their busy lives behind and actually have a good time.

MerleFest, presented by Window World, has officially come to a close, but not without a number of electric collaborations, spontaneous sit-ins, and world-class performances. Wynonna & The Big Noise, Amos Lee, Tyler Childers, Sam Bush Band, Brandi Carlile, and The Avett Brothers all brought extra MerleFest energy to the Watson Stage, marking another successful year for the long-running festival.