Never in my whole trip did I believe I would spend time in Kansas, but there I was for 2 weeks camped out in Winfield, KS. Arriving at the campground we started land rush, where hundreds of folks line up to set up camp in the Pecan Grove. We stocked up on Pabst and began the madness that can only be described as one of the best times of my life. Upon entering the campground we set up a full line kitchen with plenty of space for all of our friends to camp at the Rainbow Circus. After plenty of brews, I wandered around the campground amazed at all of the bluegrass musicians jamming all night long on the street. Never in my life have I seen so many musicians at one place as I start to see that this was a festival for musicians, and with 10 days before the festival even started I hardly left the banjo from my side.
Being a "Winfield Virgin" I got dressed in a white T-shirt as I wandered through the random camps gathering signatures to people who I would learn to know and love within the time we spent together. Friends giving out drinks, plenty of green favors, and more hillbillies and bluegrass enthusiasts than ever before. Krista who I traveled with to Winfield introduced me to Hipbillies, a folk bluegrass band who was more than welcome to have me join the band for the weekend on the stages.
There was a main stage at the Grand Stands, but not once did I make it there as the real party was in the Pecan Grove where stages were set up in the campground, mostly acoustic with one set up with microphones. In the Grove was Stage 5, the main grove stage where the top bands played with live sounds, Stage 7, where respect was held as the crowds would hush up and give full attention to the band, and Fine Time, which was the rowdy, crazy crowd getting funk down. During my stay, I played on Stage 5 twice, Fine Time three times, and Stage 7 once, which I was very honored to be allowed to join with fellow musicians on the stages with my first year at Winfield.
Winfield was the place where you take a nap in the porter john, fireworks shoot off high in the sky and light up the magnificence and beauty of the Grove as more and more folks fill up the camps until it is jammed packed with even more musicians than I thought could ever be in one place. It is the place where your banjo breaks in half and a Luther in the campground fixes it up the next day. A place where you sign up for a set on stage and have an hour to find a band to jump on and piece music together. This is the place you realized you havent drank water in 10 days due to the amount of PBR in my system, as you meet members of the bands that you love on stage at the other festivals I have seen. A place where you have to watch your back due to cougars and under aged girls, and more missing teeth in one week than ever before. This is the place where the Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament is held, and bike races where folks catch hot dogs in their mouths from strings overhead.
Never did I ever think I would say this but... Kansas has been by far one of the best stops on my journey and I look forward to the festival again next year. The words here will never describe the events that happened at Winfield, you will have to see for yourself next year.
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