First, how about Sean McCue’s poster design for our 51^st Festival, with a biplane and wing walking pickers? Any volunteers for the enactment of this year’s poster in the skies above Winfield? We loved this whimsical idea from the first time we saw it, and hope you do too.

While last year’s 50^th Anniversary featured many artists who were an important part of WVF’s history, the 2023 lineup is notable for the large number of artists who are completely new to Winfield. Becky Buller, the first woman to win the IBMA award for Fiddle Player of the Year, will make her first appearance at WVF. Darin and Brooke Aldridge, along with their band, are here for the first time on their own. Darin is a former IBMA Mentor of the Year and a truly gifted singer and multi-instrumentalist. Brooke is no less talented, and a four-time winner of IBMA’s Female Vocalist of the Year.

Colorado-based Chain Station, known for winning over crowds with creative and fun original songs steeped in Americana roots, will mark its first appearance on the official stages. As will The Barefoot Movement, an alt-bluegrass trio from the mountains of North Carolina, known for their memorable melodies and lush harmonies. And Pixie & The Partygrass Boys, a five-member, high-energy band, will bring the party from the deserts (and mountains) of Utah.

Dynamic hammer dulcimer musician Tina Bergmann will appear with bassist Bryan Thomas. Sadie Gustafson-Zook, vocalist and songwriter of folk music with a jazz influence, is also here for the first time. And if you enjoy hot picking, do not miss new artists Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley, bursting with talent both as vocalists and skilled musicians. Other new bands include the Haymakers, a Wichita-based Americana string band, and the Celtic band RUNA, which combines traditional music of Ireland and Scotland with modern folk and jazz.

We are pleased to welcome back Appalachian Road Show, Roz Brown & Jim Ratts, The Cowboy Way, Damn Tall Buildings, the Green Flamingos, Les Gustafson-Zook, Shane Hennessy, JigJam, Chris Jones & The Night Drivers, Andy May, Tim May & Steve Smith, John McCutcheon, Barry Patton, Pretend Friend, Mark Sganga, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, Stephen Seifert, The Steel Wheels, Linda Tilton, and Weda Skirts.

Let me also share with you some new things we are rolling out this year. We will again have online preregistration for Land Rush AND you can now pay for WVF and City of Winfield fees in one payment. You will find the same to be true when you get on grounds. BUT we will no longer take payment by personal check on grounds. For Lineup, we intend to build in times between rows arriving, so that there will not be as much congestion in paying at Barn IV.

We seem to have more complaints each year about golf carts on grounds, and with the large crowd last year we saw some serious accidents. Beginning this year, golf carts will incur the same fee as an extra vehicle pass–$12 per day. We understand this is unwelcome news for many, but we also want to address the increasingly crowded roads and camping areas. Only authorized ATVs/UTVs will be allowed in the campgrounds.

This year we welcome River Rat Print & Skate to grounds, a Lawrence-based crew who will be here with official WVF t-shirt and apparel designs. River Rat intends to do some pre-orders as well, so look for those announcements on social media.

In an effort to reduce tensions between sitters and standers, in 2023 there will be a Stage I area at the front of Pickers’ Pub which will be designated for standing only. Please, please, treat each other with the kindness and respect we all expect at Winfield.

Speaking of kindness and respect for one another, help us to reduce waste and make the festival as sustainable as we can make it. This digital occasional is one step we are taking to reduce the amount of paper we use. We are teaming up with the City of Winfield this year and other organizations to bring in some large water stations around grounds.  We plan on working with Nudge Compost, in a pilot project to reduce food waste in the midway.  Look for announcements of other initiatives on social media, including a Sunday Clean Camp picture drop for WVF Swag and prizes.

Finally, for several years we have found it impossible to staff the overnight shifts at the main gate and reentry. Without enough workers, staff find it exhausting to work those shifts. So, this year the Ticket Trailer and Reentry will no longer operate overnight. Aside from Land Rush, both will be open only from 8am-11pm (up to festival) and 7am-11pm (during festival), although East and West 14^th gates will provide access for attendees returning to grounds. Newly arriving campers must make sure to bear this in mind in planning their arrival in Winfield, as they will be unable to purchase tickets or procure camping between the hours of 11pm and 8am.

WVF 51 will have more than 200 hours of music at 4 official stages. We’ll have 8 instrument championships, a Songwriters Showcase, Andy May’s Acoustic Kids, Feisty’s Music Camp for Kids, Wednesday Workshops, a juried Arts and Crafts fair, the Ozark Music Shoppe online show, and some great food vendors. We look forward to welcoming you back to Winfield.

Bart Redford
Executive Director