The 6th annual Tom Tom Founders Festival in Charlottesville, Va., delivered music, art, innovation, and food to the hungry crowds waiting for it all. There were over 60 bands and 300 speakers. Throughout the week, festival-goers flooded the area to experience everything that C-Ville has to offer.
It was a hot afternoon for mid-April. Our bodies must have been used to the cool mountain air from the past couple of weeks, because we found ourselves sweaty and sticking to the van’s front seats. We were hurrying north after getting new tires on the van. Road life isn’t easy on our trusty steed, so it was nice to stop by a mechanic and give her a little love. We cruised into town with just enough time to get set up before locals started filling our tent to check out our swag and gear. We demoed Sea To Summit sleeping pads which gave weary attendees a chance to get off their feet and listen to the tunes bumping from the adjacent stage.
Lee Park was packed with food trucks, a large stage, tents, and vendors of all types. There was everything from organic toothpaste to innovative tech booths. And booze, lots of booze. It’s always nice to soak up some sunshine, meet some new faces, and talk about our favorite outdoor gear. Tom Tom Fest is a little different than most of the festivals we attend. It’s an art and lifestyle festival, as opposed to the outdoor/adventure festivals that we are used to. We fielded questions about the magazine, our gear, and things to do in the surrounding area. We spoke to a lot of families who had a desire to get outside but were unsure where to start. The outdoors can be intimidating to newcomers, so we were happy to offer any knowledge we could. We love getting people excited about being outdoors. We love it so much that we made it our job!
On Saturday we led a group bike ride along the beautiful Rivanna Trail, a 20-mile loop that circles the entire city of Charlottesville. The team from Blue Ridge Cyclery stopped by to join in on the ride and provide some killer bikes for the whole Blue Ridge Outdoors staff. We had a great turnout for the ride. We paraded into Riverview Park to stop for a quick break and to relax by the river.
Up next we have Tuck Fest on April 21st—23rd, which is a rambunctious party at the U.S. National Whitewater Center complete with rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and tunes!
We’ll see ya out there!
