News Category: Festival

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and it is with great anticipation that the Birthplace of Country Music will start unwrapping gifts a little early! We call it the 12 Days of Christmas Artist Reveal and, starting Wednesday, December 14 and daily for 12 days, we’ll unlock one festival artist we have confirmed to perform at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion 2017 through Christmas day! That’s right, one awesome festival artist will be revealed each day for 12 days, and there are several ways you can receive the news.

Starting Wednesday, be sure and tune in to WCYB News 5 Today during the 6:00 a.m. hour to hear the first Bristol Rhythm 12 Days of Christmas announcement or pick up a copy of the Bristol Herald Courier. Listen in to Radio Bristol to hear music by each artist. You can also check in on Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or follow the countdown at CountdowntoBristolRhythm.com.

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion is slated for September 15-17, 2017 and weekend passes to the festival are on sale now for $62.50 (plus taxes & fees) while supplies last. Don’t delay, order today! They make great stocking stuffers!

PURCHASE TICKETS

New in 2017

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion is offering an all-inclusive Festival Fan Package that includes a festival weekend pass, parking pass, meals, preferred seating at select stages, and more!

Package includes:

• • One (1) Festival Weekend Wristband
  • One (1) Parking Pass
  • 3 Catered Meals for one (1) person (Includes Dinner on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday Afternoon)
  • Six (6) Drink Tickets (Receive six (6) Drink Tickets to be used at BCM Beverage Gardens)
  • Preferred Seating at Piedmont Stage and State Street Stage (Please note that Preferred Seating will be set up at the Piedmont and State Street Stages, and will be available on a first come, first serve basis.)
  • Gift Bag (Includes Festival T-Shirt, Signed Poster, and Special Gift)
  • Museum Access (Tour the Birthplace of Country Music Museum anytime throughout the weekend.)
  • 10% Discount Coupon for The Museum Store at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum

• Cost

The cost of the package is $500 per person.

Limited Quantity

Only 100 of these packages will be sold.

Click here to PURCHASE

If you have already purchased a 2017 Festival Wristband and would like to upgrade your ticket, please email info@BirthplaceofCountryMusic.org or call Tracey at 423-573-1927.

All patrons who purchase a Festival Fan Package will receive an email after purchase that will provide details on package fulfillment.

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, presented by the Birthplace of Country Music, has earned the Bronze Grand Pinnacle Award from the International Festivals & Events Association. The Grand Pinnacle is the highest award given by the IFEA and the professional competition draws entries from among the world’s top festivals and events.

Winning entries came from organizations as diverse as the Fiesta Bowl in Scottsdale, Arizona, the International Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC, and Memphis in May International Festival in Memphis, Tennessee. International contenders included such diverse event organizations as Rotterdam Festivals in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Destination NSW in Sydney, Australia, and the Ludwig Van Beethoven Festival in Krakow, Poland.

“This is the first time Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion has entered an international competition and the application process is very detailed,” said Leah Ross, Executive Director of the Birthplace of Country Music, the parent organization of Bristol Rhythm, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, and Radio Bristol. “We are so honored and humbled to bring the Bronze Pinnacle home to our community.”

“We would like to congratulate all of our Pinnacle winners for their outstanding entries into this year’s competition,” said IFEA President and CEO, Steven Wood Schmader, CFEE.

“The IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards Competition recognizes the outstanding accomplishments and top quality creative, promotional, operational, and community outreach programs and materials produced by festivals and events around the world. Striving for the highest degree of excellence in festival and event promotions and operations in every budget level and every corner of the globe, this competition has not only raised the standards and quality of the festivals and events industry to new levels, but also shows how event producers can use innovation and creativity to achieve a higher level of success.”

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion also placed Silver for Best Newspaper Insert/Supplement for its annual festival guide.

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion qualifies in the $750,000-$1.5 million budgetary category. IFEA also offers categories for festivals and events with budgets under $250,000 and over $1.5 million. In the same category the Des Moines Arts Festival in Des Moines, Iowa achieved Gold while Boulevardia in Kansas City, Missouri earned Silver. Bristol Rhythm was judged based on information from it’s 15th annual event in 2015.

Click here to see all the winners.

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, presented by the Birthplace of Country Music, achieved the Shining Example Award for Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 Event/Festival of the Year.

“Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion competed against attractions in twelve southeast states to achieve this award,” said Leah Ross, Executive Director of the Birthplace of Country Music, the parent organization of the festival. “We know we have something very special with this event and we are very humbled and grateful to receive this recognition.”

Founded in 1983, the Southeast Tourism Society is dedicated to promoting and developing tourism in its member states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Its headquarters are in Atlanta. The membership includes state travel offices, attractions, lodging properties, resorts, convention and visitor bureaus, chambers of commerce, travel media and other travel-related organizations.

“Shining Example Awards highlight some of the best work in travel and tourism, and winners truly set examples that others in the industry can follow,” said STS President and CEO Bill Hardman.

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion has achieved a number of awards over the years including:

2016

Pinnacle Award, Special Events – Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association
Economic Impact

2015

Top 20 Event – Southeast Tourism Society

Top 100 Events in North America – American Bus Association

2014

Best Festival, Gold Kaleidoscope – Southeast Festivals & Events Association

Best of Show – Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association

Pinnacle for Special Events – Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association

Pinnacle for Public Relations – Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association

Merit Award for Print & Multi-Media Advertising & Promotions – Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association

Bristol Mayors’ Award of Distinction

The Birthplace of Country Music regretfully announces that headliner Loretta Lynn will not perform at this year’s Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival.

According to a statement issued by Ms. Lynn’s team, the country music legend is “at home recuperating from a recent fall that left her unable to perform on Labor Day weekend at her ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. Although her injuries are not serious, she will be undergoing minor surgery and Loretta’s doctors have advised her to stay off the road until she’s made a full recovery.”

The artist has cancelled several other shows on her tour in addition to Bristol Rhythm.

“Loretta Lynn is a living legend in country music and we were so excited about having her in Bristol,” said Leah Ross, Executive Director of the Birthplace of Country Music, the parent organization of the festival. “We know that she would be here if she could, and everyone at BCM wishes her a full and speedy recovery.”

The Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion Music Committee is currently working to book another major artist to perform at the festival which takes place in Historic Downtown Bristol, VA/TN September 16-18.

“Though there is no replacement for such an iconic artist as Loretta Lynn—and we are only days away from the event—our music committee is working hard to try and book another headlining artist that will excite fans. We hope to announce an addition to the lineup prior to festival,” said Ross.

For questions or concerns call 423-573-1927.

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion is just around the corner! If you haven’t taken the time to sign up to volunteer or be part of the many fun activities, there’s still time! Find your area of interest among the listed items below, then click to register! We look forward to seeing you at the festival!

•Sign up to be a festival volunteer or help with the Green Team.

•Agencies that wish to help with Children’s Day activites sign up here.

•Sign up a team for the Chili Cook-off.

•Register for the 5k Road Race / 2 Mile Fun Walk.

•Register for the Wernick Method Jam Camp.

•Enter the Youth Music Competition.

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival takes place September 16-18, 2016 on State Street in Historic Downtown Bristol, VA/TN. Click here to view lineup and get more information.

The award-winning Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival is currently seeking volunteers in all stages of production—from concessions, logistics, and working the gates to Children’s Day and recycling—for the 16th annual event taking place in Historic Downtown Bristol, VA/TN September 16—18, 2016.

Non-profit agencies and individual volunteers are needed for Children’s Day, which will take place in Cumberland Square Park on Saturday, September 17 from 10:00 a.m.—1:00 p.m. If you are an individual who wishes to volunteer your time, or belong to an agency that would like to provide activities for Children’s Day, click here to submit your application.

Green Team and other event volunteers may click here to apply; those signing up for Green Team should check the Green Team box on the application. Volunteers who sign up early get the best shifts and everyone who volunteers will receive a free festival volunteer t-shirt and single day pass to Bristol Rhythm!

Thank you, in advance, for signing up to volunteer! You make our festival great!

The Birthplace of Country Music (BCM) has released the day schedule for it’s 16th annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival, to be held September 16-18, 2016. With the release of the schedule, single-day passes are also now available for purchase.

“Fans have been waiting to purchase single-day passes to the festival until we release the schedule, but the weekend pass is still the best value,” said Leah Ross, BCM Executive Director. “We also want to remind everyone that the schedule is subject to change, but our headlining acts should remain as scheduled barring unforeseen circumstances beyond anyone’s control.”

Legendary country music superstar Loretta Lynn is slated to perform on the State Street Stage on festival Saturday at 8:15 p.m. and influential blues guitarist and singer Buddy Guy will appear on Friday at the Piedmont Stage at 10:15 p.m. The Indigo Girls will also appear on Saturday and Houndmouth is scheduled for Friday.

Visitors can create their own lineup through the festival’s website or through the festival’s mobile app, coming soon. This year the website and the mobile app will sync up so any changes made to your custom schedule will appear on both the website and the app. Single-day passes to the festival are also available on the website; tickets for Friday and Sunday are $40, while Saturday passes are $45. weekend passes are available for $80 while supplies last.

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion is held on and around State Street in Historic Downtown Bristol, Virginia/Tennessee and offers 20 stages of live music and more than 130 acts. Nearly 50,000 people attended the event last year and more than 800 volunteers are needed to help during the festival.

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