Tags: Music Festival.
The Appalachian String Band Music Festival (often referred to simply as Clifftop) is a weeklong gathering of thousands of string band musicians and their friends from across the country and around the world who each year since 1990 have assembled near the New River Gorge in West Virginia in late July/early August to celebrate the evolving tradition of old-time music and the community of people who keep it thriving by preserving and contributing to that tradition.Though the Festival offers contests (traditional band neo-traditional band fiddle old-time banjo and flatfoot dancing) square dancing several concerts and workshops and other organized activities such as yoga basket making and hymn singing the heart and soul of the Fesival is found in the campsites where old time music provides a foundation for all kinds of straight-off-the-strings acoustic music (including Americana cajun celtic swing bluegrass Dawg and even reggae) which in turn often spontaneously generate impromptu dancing and other festivities by the people gathered within earshot.Though the Festival officially starts the Wednesday before the first full weekend in August the grounds start filling up the weekend before with well-adorned campsites many of which have music being played through the night.
