Camping Availability

We've had a couple of campsites open up today. If those of you who have called recently and been told we were full still want a spot, give us a call asap. If you should call and get the machine, please leave a message and we will call you back. There are always a few spots that become available near the festival dates as unexpected things pop up here and there. So, don't give up yet. We may still be able to accommodate you. m

Production

Well, today was a very productive day for festival prep. Thanks to my dear friends, Barney and Thelma Lou (aka Bobby & Barbara) we got ALL the new t-shirts folded and sorted, camper packets filled, advance tickets sorted and camper reservations all coordinated with the map. whew! That was quite a job but sharing the duties made it much easier. Thanks so much for your help, B & B!
There's still a lot to do but those are the jobs that seem to take so much time and are so hard to do by myself. I'm just so relieved to be this far along with preparations to date. Now I'll have more time to do things such as ponder what to be called when our grandbaby arrives! Anybody have any good suggestions? The obvious names.....Nannie, Mamaw, etc. have already been taken. I'd better come up with something soon.
As we were going over all the reservation forms we noticed that there are still some of you that have not sent in your balance due even though the deadline has passed. If you find yourself in that category please take time to call and let us know your intentions as there are folks on our waiting list who would like to camp with us this year.
Some of the bands and individual performers who will be here this year were just today nominated for IBMA awards. We want to congratulate those people and wish them luck. We won't be attending the IBMA event this year as we will instead be celebrating the arrival of our grandbaby. So I will take this opportunity to officially say "Congratulations" to all the nominees.
Until next time................m

Receipts

Last year we used the receipts turned in by our festivarians to give us a perspective on the economical impact our event has on our community. It was very interesting to see where all you guys shop, eat, spend the night, etc. while visiting here for the festival. The winner of the 2011 weekend passes lives in Rutledge, TN and was happy to win them.
We have decided to collect receipts again this year. So here are the guidelines: save your receipt from any purchase you make during your stay here in Sevier County (not just the 3 days of the festival.....if you come in early, save those receipts, too); write your name and phone # on the back; drop your receipt in the "birdcage" provided for the receipts. After the festival is over, we will draw out one of those receipts and the person whose name is on it will receive a pair of weekend passes for the 13th Annual Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival in 2012.
Don't worry about your credit card number as only the last four digits (if any at all) are printed on receipts for credit card purchases.
This is an excellent tool for us to show our sponsors just how much $$$ is actually spent at their establishments.
We appreciate each and every one of our bluegrass friends who attend our event and this will help us make your visit even better.
REMINDER: Don't forget the deadline to have all your camping/advance ticket money turned in............August 15. Judging by the number of phonecalls this weekend, many of you are aware of it already and many of you have already settled up. But there are some who need to give us a call soon as the people on the waiting list for a campsite are anxious to find out if they will be able to get a spot.
Thanks and hope to see you soon. m

News from Headquarters................

Currently we are scrambling to get all the festival preparations in order. This year it seems that 3 major events have aligned themselves and are creating a challenge to be able to handle them all at once. However, we feel sure that we can rise to the occasion with a "little help from our friends" as the Beatles' song says.
As many of you know, the book project I was working on has been completed and the finished product is now available in bookstores, Amazon.com and other local retail outlets. It was released on 7/25 and will be available for purchase here during the festival. Co-author, Tim Hollis, will be on hand during a portion of the festivites to add his signature for those of you who want a signed copy. There will be book signings coming up in October. If you are nearby when I do those, please drop by the event and visit. Joe & I will be on WDVX on Freddy's show Aug. 19 to discuss the upcoming festival and also take a stroll down memory lane by discussing the book. You can tune in online or on your radio for that.
Going forward with those 3 major events............the festival: t-shirts arrived today and they look really good. The deadline for campers to send in the balance of their camping and ticket money is looming. August 15 will be here in just a few short days. So if you are still thinking about sending it in.............now is the time to do so. Thanks. The campground is full for the festival and we are taking names for a waiting list. So, if you have had a change of plans, we would appreciate it if you would let us know asap.
And that 3rd major event??????...........many of you already know about this, but for those of you who do not let me enlighten you. Our daughter & son-in-law will be welcoming their first child sometime near the festival dates. Needless to say, we are ecstatic and very anxious to meet our grandchild. I suppose that's the main reason I'm having a little trouble focusing on the festival tasks at hand. September is certainly going to be an eventful and busy month!
I'm looking forward to the cooler temps of September, aren't you? We have just about roasted this summer and will be glad when fall weather arrives.
I hear about 200 t-shirts calling me......................later, m

August Already???

I looked up and found August prominently displayed on my calendar this week. How did that happen?? Maybe I was lulled into a false sense of a never-ending summer by the extreme heat and humidity we've experienced this year. Oh, well.........ready-or-not it's here. August is quite a busy month around here. It starts off with the occasion of our 39th anniversary this week. It winds up with the occasion of my mother's birthday. And is packed with festival preparations in between.
The deadline for campers to get the balance of their reservation & advance ticket money in is 8/15. I was reminded of that deadline when our phone began to be the center of attention with all the ringing yesterday. It was certainly bluegrass Monday. It is always great to hear from all you festivarians and also from the folks who are discovering Dumplin Valley for the first time.
The exciting lineup has generated quite a bit of interest and we are always happy to talk to anyone about it. We are happy to be able to bring some new-to-Dumplin Valley bands as well as many of your favorite groups.
2011 promises to be an eventful year for us with the upcoming birth of our first grandchild! We are excited to be entering this phase of life. The gender of the baby has been kept secret so it will be a great surprise for all of us when it finally makes its grand entrance into the world.
Another big event for me has been the release of my first book on July 25.........Lost Attractions of Sevier County....can be found wherever the Arcadia Images of America are sold in our area in addition to Amazon.com, etc. Author Tim Hollis convinced me to take a chance and co-author this book filled with photos of some of this area's attractions that only exist in the memories of all the lucky tourists who enjoyed them. I hope you will pick one up at a bookstore while you are in town for the festival. the Autographed copies will be on hand for those who want to purchase them here at the festival.
We hope to see you here in September and hope that the rest of your summer is enjoyable and cool. m