In episode 43 of the Music Festivals Podcast, I sat down with Stacey Sinclair, Producer of the 21st annual Watermelon Pickers Festival — long-standing festival held annually in Berryville, Virginia.
If you have any interest in bluegrass, roots music, or the stories behind the people who keep festival culture alive, this episode is well worth your time. Watermelon Pickers' Festival has a deep and rich history, and is in the midst of a major evolution—from its 1960s origins to its revival and growth into one of the area’s top Americana, roots, old-time and bluegrass music gatherings.
Stacey’s journey to the Watermelon Pickers Festival is anything but typical. From studying theater tech at Otterbein College, to becoming a public school teacher and a fiddle player, her multifaceted background shines through as she explains how these experiences feed into her passionate approach to festival organizing.
“Everything I do, everything I touch, has a little bit of an education piece… it’s something I think is a value in community with other people,” she says, speaking to her dedication both in and out of the classroom.
This year’s Watermelon Pickers Festival promises a broad lineup, with acts like Michael Cleveland and Jason Carter, Foghorn String Band, Fireside Collective, Shade Tree Collective, and many more—each showcasing traditional and progressive sides of bluegrass, old time, and roots music. Stacey’s curation aims to honor the festival’s storied legacy while including new fans and musicians.
“Once you come to Watermelon once, like you’re family now. Everybody is so welcoming and caring,” she says, capturing the event’s spirit of belonging.
Beyond main stage acts, the festival is packed with educational workshops, hands-on jam sessions, and Stacey’s signature “instrument petting zoo” for kids. All ages, all levels, and families are welcomed, with kids free and teens at half price.
Stacey also opens up about last-minute challenges that led her to step into festival leadership with just days to assemble a takeover proposal and a team to help organize the event.
If you want a feel-good story about perseverance, community, and the magic of music festivals, don’t miss this episode. Watch or listen to the full interview on YouTube or your favorite podcast app—and maybe start planning your September weekend at Watermelon Pickers Festival—and be sure to check out how to win free festival passes on musicfestivalspodcast.com. Don't forget to subscribe!
I’m excited to let you know that Stacey and her team have supported the podcast with generous ticket package for you and your whole family to attend the 2025 Watermelon Pickers’ Festival in Berryville, Virginia.
If you love bluegrass, roots music, and good times with great people, you don’t want to miss this.
Win a set of 4 of Weekend GA Passes valued over $500
Entering the ticket drawing is super easy-just follow the link to the official contest page and throw your name in the hat.
Imagine kicking back in the Shenandoah Valley, discovering new artists, and making memories you’ll be talking about for years. Don’t miss your shot to join us for one of the best weekends of the year. Hit that link, enter now, and maybe I’ll see you at Watermelon Pickers’ Fest 2025!
In the meantime, we still have ticket packages available for the 10th Anniversary of the Pickin on Picknic happening July 10–13 in St. Clair, MO as well as the Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival taking place July 18-20 in Mansfield, Ohio. Don't miss your chance to enter and win free music festival passes!
Next week on the Music Festivals Podcast, I’m dropping a full recap of the 2025 Dark Star Jubilee—and trust me, you won’t want to miss this one.
Held at the legendary Legend Valley in Thornville, Ohio, this year’s gathering is set to bring the perfect mix of sunshine, soul, and psychedelic grooves. I’ll take you right into the heart of the action with exclusive video interviews, high-energy performance clips, and sweeping aerial footage that will capture the full effect of the weekend’s vibes.
From the thunderous sets by Dark Star Orchestra to standout performances by Jeff Mattson & Friends, Leftover Salmon, and Melvin Seals & JGB, the 12th year of the Jubilee at Legend Valley is going to be unforgettable.
A massive thank you 🙏 to our neighbors Capt. Janice Hurley and Tim Walther of All Good Presents for welcoming MFP behind the scenes and giving us the opportunity to cover this most-excellent event. Their continued dedication to music festival community and live music is truly unmatched.
Tune in and Subscribe on YouTube, and get ready to relive—or experience for the first time—the magic of Dark Star Jubilee 2025. And, make sure to join the email list so you don't miss out on any bonus features! 🫠
Stacey and I both gushed about the new collaboration between two modern-day fiddle legends—Jason Carter and Michael Cleveland—and I for one am so excited to see them headline the 21st Annual Watermelon Pickers' Festival later this summer. The video below was the debut a brand-new original tune in entitled "Outrun the Rain" back in August of 2024 on the historic Grand Ole Opry stage — the same stage where Jason recently married another incredibly talented fiddler, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes. (Congrats! 🙂)
Jason, long revered for his work with The Del McCoury Band and as a founding member of The Travelin' McCourys (and probably my personal favorite fiddler), brings his soulful Appalachian style to the forefront. Michael, a Grammy-winning powerhouse and leader of Flamekeeper, is known for his jaw-dropping speed and precision. His work and music is redefining the boundaries of the bluegrass fiddle in a big way. Their musical chemistry is really unmatched, and as a result, this new collaboration is pure fire. 🔥. I am also delighted to be having them both as guests on the podcast in a few short weeks and can't wait to dig into that conversation to find out more about their plans for this summer's tour and beyond.
If this video is any indication, we're all in for one hell of a good show at Watermelon Pickers’ Festival. Check out their new album Carter & Cleveland on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.
Video Credit: @MichaelClevelandFiddle — "Outrun The Rain" - Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland