Trail festivals... How many?

[Frye]

Out of curiosity, does anyone happen to know how many trail festival type events happen nowadays?

I dunno, just seems, well I dunno...

I can think of Dahlonega, Hot springs, Damascus, Daleville/Troutville. (I'm not counting the ATKO either) Any more?

[BrianLe]

Sounds like you're talking AT only? You could add up multiple festivals just for the PCT too. Hard to count if you then include various festivals like the kickoff for the CDT, FT, Aldha-West rucks and festivals, etc etc, and that's just stuff off the top of my head in the continental U.S. I'm sure there are more that I'm unaware of.

[Frye]

Sounds like you're talking AT only? You could add up multiple festivals just for the PCT too. Hard to count if you then include various festivals like the kickoff for the CDT, FT, Aldha-West rucks and festivals, etc etc, and that's just stuff off the top of my head in the continental U.S. I'm sure there are more that I'm unaware of.

Just the AT. I think my head would explode (IE:the movie Scanners) if i tried to ponder em all.

[Traveler]

I would be remiss for not mentioning the ever popular New England Cottage Cheese Spitting Festival. It has little to do with hiking, but can be fabulously entertaining.

[Jeff]

You can find a fairly complete listing of "trail festivals" on the last page of AWOL's AT Guide...in the calendar section.

[Frye]

You can find a fairly complete listing of "trail festivals" on the last page of AWOL's AT Guide...in the calendar section.

Thanks Jeff, I never even thought to look in the guide.

[Speakeasy TN]

Franklin NC Hiker Fools Bash

[Lauriep]

New this year: the Flip Flop Kick Off in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, May 2-3!

Location: Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, United States
Address: 799 Washington St.
Contact: Laurie Potteiger
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 304.535.2200
For some Appalachian Trail hikers, the motto "Hike Your Own Hike" is taking on a new meaning as thru-hikers with non-traditional itineraries gain in popularity. Although 80 percent of hikers who set out to complete the entire Appalachian Trail in 12 months or less start in Georgia and end in Maine, a growing percentage are attempting a "flip-flop," which is a hike that begins and/or ends mid-Trail.

If you're curious about flip-flop hikes, you're not alone! That's why we've decided to host the inaugural Flip Flop Kick Off (FFKO) weekend on Saturday and Sunday, May 2 and 3, at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Visitor Center in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Schedule of Events (new events/updated times are being added regularly):

Saturday, May 2, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. featuring music, games, and the following sessions:
- Panel of Flip-Floppers Join Anne "Nubbins" Brown '14 (Pearisburg northbound); Emily "Fiver" Mishler '14 (Harpers Ferry northbound); and Ryan "Castanada" Seltzer '09 (modified "Cool Breeze").
- "Flipping Out for 30 Days: Lessons Learned" by "Treehugger" A month into her flip flop, "Treehugger" will share what she's experienced so far on the Trail.
- Flip-Flopping in 2014 by Anne "Nubbins" Brown Listen to Anne discuss her experiences as a flip-flop hiker last year.
- Thru-Hike Planning by Ryan "Castanada" Seltzer How do you prepare for a long-distance hike of the A.T.? Ryan shares his tips.
- Leave No Trace on the A.T. Find out how to incorporate these principles into your life on the Trail.
Sunday, May 3, beginning at 7:30 a.m.
- Community breakfast We invite all flip-flop hikers to join the Harpers Ferry community and ATC staff for breakfast from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.
- Official flip-flop hiker send off And they're off! Wish the 2015 class of A.T. flip-floppers the best as they set off on their journey at 9 a.m.

appalachiantrail.org/flipflop

[WingedMonkey]

I'm starting to wonder how many of these "drive to the trail to meet hikers" events are degrading the trail.

I can understand the local community welcoming hikers with an event, but it seems more and more of them are an excuse to drive hundreds of miles (maybe thousands of miles) to "see the hikers", or to "teach the hikers" or to "feed the hikers"

Seems lots of folks have more highway miles than trail miles.

Gives a new meaning to yellow blazing.

[Chair-man]

Duncannon has one too http://duncannonatc.org/2015-datc-festival/

[Traveler]

I'm starting to wonder how many of these "drive to the trail to meet hikers" events are degrading the trail.

Commercialization is perhaps the oldest evolutionary process of the human condition. A solitary trail magic provider sets up in an easily reached place to provide some traveler support like snacks and drinks for free. Eventually they are joined by a few others, eventually it grows so there is a fairly routine/dependable "rest stop" at certain transition points of the trail. Once a marketplace is established, merchants will start to appear to sell their wares or services. This in turn makes it easier for people to travel on the trail and increases the traffic. We can find ample historical evidence of this process along roads and byways around the US with Inns and stables popping up at cross roads to support traveler trade.

It's not necessarily a good or bad thing, it just is. I don't know if hiker feeds and festivals are beneficial to the trail itself or not, but they are waypoints to commercialism that are difficult to ignore.

[Lone Wolf]

it's ridiculous, especially in georgia. hikers are still pudgy and pasty and aren't hungry yet but every road crossing has a feed station

[Boo8meR]

it's ridiculous, especially in georgia. hikers are still pudgy and pasty and aren't hungry yet but every road crossing has a feed station

Maybe thats when they need it the most? How many drop out before Damascus?

[Lone Wolf]

Maybe thats when they need it the most? How many drop out before Damascus?

need what? food? they don't need food or anything. many drop out cuz the fantasy doesn't measure up to the reality

[Boo8meR]

need what? food? they don't need food or anything. many drop out cuz the fantasy doesn't measure up to the reality

Encouragement. Trail magic. Maybe a burger and a smiling face gets someone through another day.

[Sly]

ATC Biennial

[10-K]

We should start a "Festival Festival" in honor of all the festivals.

[LIhikers]

Every year, in July, the RPH Cabin Volunteers put on a weekend event that encompasses trail work during the day and socializing in the evenings, and tremendous amounts of food. Not a festival, but a great get together that benefits the AT. And of course, it's held at the RPH Cabin in New York.

[Frye]

I don't think I have a problem with festivals, but I wouldn't attend one unless I was already in the area. It is nice though how the trail thins out a bit when trail days gets going. I'm not knocking em, it's just not my thing.

[Malto]

Encouragement. Trail magic. Maybe a burger and a smiling face gets someone through another day.

Im with Lone Wolf on this. If a burger is the only thing getting a hiker through the day then propping them up in GA is delaying the inevitable. Cull the herd early. (Ok, maybe a bit harsh.)