For the past four years, Camp Kekoka volunteers have organized the Kekoka Music Festival as a fundraiser to help provide financial assistance for children who would like to attend the summer camp.
They have been able to fill the lineups with quality, up-and-coming Virginia-based bands, such as this year’s acts Mercy Creek and The Floorboards, and a few from outside the commonwealth’s borders, like the 2013 headliner Bronze Radio Return.
While the hard-working volunteers from the camp in Kilmarnock do most of the heavy lifting, they have sought advice on which bands would be well-suited for the laid back, family-friendly atmosphere from former camp counselor Bailey Horsley over the years.
This year, Horsley’s band, James Justin & Co., will be hitting the stage in support of his former camp. Horsley, who plays banjo in the trio, will join childhood friend and lead vocalist James Justin Burke and upright bass player Tom Propst, of Richmond, for an hourlong set 7:50 p.m. today.
“After last year’s festival, he’s the one who said, ‘We can really get this thing to fly,'” said M.J. Anderson, a regional director with YMCA. “He started listing off bands and got us connected to some really awesome bands. He’s been so good to us over the years. He’s one of the good ones, that’s for sure.”
James Justin & Co. dropped by the Tide Studios for “Live and Local” on Thursday, playing three songs live in the studio in promotion of the Kekoka Music Festival.
Watch the video above to see a part of the band’s interview with host Amanda Pearl along with an acoustic performance of “Midwestern Sounds,” a track off their third album, “Places.” To listen to the full radio session – including a performance of their song “Wolf Creek Pass” and a cover of Bob Marley’s “Small Acts” – click here.
All proceeds from the festival will go toward the YMCA’s Guardian program, which provides financial assistance so children can attend Camp Kekoka regardless of their financial means. Tickets, which can be purchased at the gate, are $35 for adults, $15 for students and free for children under 12 years old.
The festival attracted more than 300 attendees last year, and organizers hope the rain forecast for this weekend will not hurt them in reaching their goal of 500 visitors. Friday night’s shows will be in the camp’s indoor listening room, befitting of the acoustic performances slated for the evening.
“You can bring a tent, you can bring a camper, your boats, your kayaks, whatever,” Anderson said. “Pretty much the whole vibe for the whole weekend is really laid back and really sort of loving. … The artists have that same vibe. They hang out around the fire with us afterward and just play. It’s very much a connected environment.”
The festival gates open at 5:30 p.m. today and continues into Saturday, when attendees will be able to enjoy the camps amenities – such as waterfront activities, crabbing and a bounce house – in the morning before the music kicks off again at 2:30 p.m.
Hear more about the festival and the camp it supports in Amanda Pearl’s interview with Anderson, who has worked with the YMCA for more than 20 years. Click here to listen to the full interview. Find out more information on the festival’s website here.
