16 September 2023
WINFIELD, Kan. (KSNW) — The city of Winfield may not jump off the map for 51 out of the 52 weeks in the year, but during the Walnut Valley Festival, it becomes a major attraction.
In its 51st year in 2023, the Walnut Valley Festival routinely brings roughly 10,000 spectators from across the world for a time of friends, “festival family” and music. Specifically, bluegrass music.
Larry Junker, who has written for the WVA Voice — a newsletter he delivers to multiple campsites every morning — for over 30 years, says people descend upon Winfield from all over the world to enjoy music and time together.
“These people, maybe a group from Michigan and from California, and Texas, they have camped (at the festival) together for these many years,” Junker said. “And that’s the only time they get to see each other. So they’ll do all the pickin’ they can during the festival time.”
The festival is broken up into a few different spaces. The biggest attraction is the grandstand, which is where most of the better-known acts play. But the Pecan Grove, where the RVs, campers, and tents sit, could be the most unique attraction.
Inside Pecan Grove are multiple campsites with unique camp names. Names like Brigadoon, Camp Overalls and Geezers of Anarchy stood out.
Around the campground, the music rings. People are playing guitars, mandolins, and other instruments together.
The festival also gives instrument companies from far and wide an opportunity to sell their instruments and make connections. One of those companies is McSpadden Dulcimers out of the small town of Mountain View, Arkansas.
Tim Grothen, the owner of McSpadden, left his family farm in Nebraska to take over the company, which has sponsored the National Dulcimer Championship for the last 40 years.
Grothen showing a festival attendee his dulcimers
At the crux of the entire festival, Junker said the music and family atmosphere are what keep people coming back every year.
“It’s the music, it’s the camaraderie, it’s the family, the festival-family type of thing. There’s also the people who … they brought their children when they came to the festival years ago. Now their children are bringing their children, so it becomes a ‘real’ family reunion of sorts.”