Spanning April to November, FESTY’s 150-show series reimagines the live music experience, prioritizing social distancing, touchless convenience and unique performances at idyllic outdoor venues
Charlottesville, Va., Mar. 9, 2021 -- FESTY, an outdoor, socially-distanced concert series, announces its initial dates for 2021, building on the proven success of its innovations to provide safer and more intimate opportunities for music fans to see their favorite artists perform live. With a decade of experience producing live music events and its 2020 lineup of 14 shows, FESTY continues to innovate and elevate the concert experience by providing a safe and unforgettable alternative to traditional live music events.
Three unique venues will host the 2021 FESTY lineup in idyllic outdoor spaces, where all aspects of safety are first priority, and fans can enjoy the beauty of nature and music under the stars: Woodlands Nature Reserve in Charleston, S.C., Lake Eden, Black Mountain in Asheville, N.C., and Chisholm Vineyards, Earlysville near Charlottesville, Va. FESTY will announce 50 dates in each location, totalling more than 150 experiences this April - November.
“With FESTY’s decade-long history of providing experienced-based events, we are uniquely positioned to help bring live music back into our lives. We reimagined concerts and created an outdoor experience that puts safety first,” says FESTY Co-founder Michael Allenby. “This year’s FESTY events have limited capacity, completely contactless food and drink service, highly sanitary operating procedures -- and it’s happening in a beautiful space among the trees and under the stars.”
Since 2010, FESTY has facilitated mindful, family-friendly experiences that connect cultures and communities through music and shared values. In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shifted the world’s view of gatherings and deeply impacted the live music industry, FESTY innovated the concert experience and successfully worked to connect artists and audiences with a new set of priorities: safety, comfort and peace of mind.
While the FESTY design places attendee safety and health at the forefront, uniqueness, intimacy and connectedness remain critical aspects of the brand’s culture. The same family-centric and eco-friendly aspects of previous FESTY experiences will also remain at the forefront of the 2021 FESTY experience. All FESTY venues are fit for familiar groups and families of all ages.
In 2021, FESTY will continue to feature premier and emerging artists spanning the worlds of rock, blues, bluegrass, indie, reggae and folk in outdoor environments. FESTY fans submitted their favorite musicians for consideration to be included in the upcoming 2021 FESTY lineup. The first shows voted for by fans and confirmed for the 2021 season include:
Keller Willams, April 9 & 10, Woodlands Nature Reserve, Charleston, S.C.
Carbon Leaf, April 16, Lake Eden, Black Mountain, Asheville, N.C.
Carbon Leaf, April 17, Chisholm Vineyards, Earlysville, Charlottesville, Va.
Additional dates will be announced throughout the year. Tickets to the festival series are sold in 2-person, 4-person and 6-person “pods”, which serve as designated areas for familiar groups to enjoy the show together and limit exposure to other attendees. Each pod is distanced from the next by at least 6 feet. Live stream tickets will also be available to select shows. For tickets and more information, visit theFESTY.com.
“The pandemic put everyone’s lives in a blender, but few industries were incapacitated more than live music,” says Allenby. “Where others saw darkness and disaster, we saw a breaking dawn. We’ve known that the music industry was ripe for innovation and advancement for a while, and the pandemic was the magnifying catalyst that exposed and expedited the process.”
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About FESTY
Founded in 2010, FESTY’s concert series have promoted the connection between musicians and fans in family- and eco-friendly environments. The FESTY concert experience changed drastically in 2020, creating a safer space for live music experiences and bringing the joy of live music to more people. Three venues will host the upcoming FESTY lineup, which will feature more than 50 dates in Charlottesville, Va., Asheville, N.C., and Charleston, S.C., throughout 2021. For tickets and more information, visit theFESTY.com.