Are you going to Meltdown?
While seemingly appropriate with regards to our recent heat wave, this question is neither an inquiry into your body temperature nor your mental status? It is actually an invitation for anyone who may read this to my favorite festival, actually my favorite weekend of the entire year. I am referring to the Flowmotion Summer Meltdown, a wonderful music and arts festival held annually near our little mountain town at the Whitehorse Mountain Amphitheatre (also known as the Bluegrass Grounds). From August 14-16, I can think of nothing else I would rather do or recommend others to do than go to this yearly gathering of folks, friends, and artists of all ages! Flowmotion is a Seattle band which boasts the talents of two of our own local musicians: Josh Clauson (lead vocal and guitar) is from Arlington and Eric Bryson (bass guitar) grew up in our very own Darrington! Find out more about this incendiary band at http://www.flowmotion.net/. This years’ Meltdown will be the bands’ ninth annual festival, and is not to be missed! With three stages of music over a three day festival, the acts booked are more than enough reason to attend: Jackie Greene (the “Prince of Americana”) and Tony Furtado band just to name a couple. You can check out the full line up at http://www.summermeltdown.com/ . I recommend checking out these sites, as there are too many great things about this festival to capture in one little blog, even one website, so you’re best bet is to just go and see for yourself! Children have perhaps the most fun of any attendees, with their own “children’s campsite,” (a section of their own recycled cardboard fort “tents” elaborately decorated with fabrics and glitters and colors…oh my! Last year I happened to walk by just in time to catch American Idol runner-up Blake Lewis giving an impromptu lecture to an enraptured young audience on the art and skill of beat boxing. This is the thing about Meltdown…you will find yourself capturing all sorts of these tiny precious moments. Here is one more: While watching the phenomenal talents of MarchFourth Marching Band, I heard a glass bottle (which is NOT allowed at the festival) break nearby. In the moment while I thought about whether to get up and help them pick up the pieces, a whole group of festival goers were on their feet circling the broken glass like seagulls to french fries. With all those tiny bare feet to protect, Meltdown goers are not the type to take chances for injury. They are a very environmentally conscious group, and are equally community oriented. The festival is run entirely on B-99 biodiesel, the cleanest burning fuel out there. In fact, this year the goal has been set to recycle 80% of the festival’s waste in its entirety. This is definitely the greenest festival out there! For a great family weekend, some fun and interactive lessons on reducing your carbon footprint, and to get your socks rocked off…Meltdown. Definitely Meltdown!
