Valley EarthFest & Hoot 'n' the Hall 2012

Holy Ghost Tent Revival

This year's Earth Day may have been slightly soggy, but there was nothing gloomy or grey about Valley EarthFest 2012. Held inside the Barns of Rose Hill in Berryville, VA, this all-day affair, was filled with eco-extracurriculars, a farm-to-fork food court, and some seriously top-notch tunes.

I began my EarthFest exploration on the ground floor, chatting with a few vendors. I took in a spinning demo at Spindles and More as well as picking up a few knitting tips. I also discovered that Hunter's Head Tavern in Upperville (one of my all-time favorite restaurants) is actually owned by Ayrshire Farm, so the food is not only tasty, but local too! After perusing some plants at The Holly Brook Farm table (and realizing I need to get busy on my garden), I headed upstairs for some brews and some tunes.

Starr Hill Brewery out of Charlottesville, was offering a sampling of their wares, of which I sipped several. To say I LOVED  The Love hefeweizen is an understatement--it has just a hint of banana and a touch of clove, so it's a tad different but totally tasty.
    

The Woodshedders

Then there were the tunes. I didn't catch all of the bands, so thank goodness I snagged the Valley EarthFest Compilation CD! Sunday evening was the first I had heard Hard Swimmin' Fish and they were crazy fun. The band had the crowd up and dancing before the official Barn Dance even began. The Woodshedders and Holy Ghost Tent Revival headlined the Hoot 'n' the Hall (aka the Barn Dance), and let's just say there was nothing square about this barn dance.

Earthfest was one of those evenings you don't want to end, and I can't wait to see what's in store for next year's festivities. In the meantime, I look forward to seeing these bands again throughout the summer and attending many more shows at Barns of Rose Hill. 

Hard Swimmin' Fish

For more pictures from Valley EarthFest visit Pretty in the Panhandle on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/prettyinthepanhandle