How many Flip Floppers leave from the Festival?
Some have asked about the flip flopper "bubble" after the festival.
There is a comparative spike in the number of flip floppers leaving Harpers Ferry after the festival. However, the bubble of flip floppers is a relatively small blip that dissipates quickly. The last 2 years, we've had about 35 flip floppers, most of whom are spread out over 2 days. Last year the largest group leaving together was 6. That was on Sunday morning at the send-off. We emphasize spreading out, and hikers listen.
Even the busiest day on the Trail around the flip flop festival is less busy than a typical day during nobo season.
In June, we have 25-50 long-distance hikers a day, every day, and that's just the thru-hikers and serious section-hikers. It doesn't include the Scouts, weekenders, and section-hikers not intent on doing the entire Trail.
In the week after the Flip Flop Festival last year, there were 4-8 hikers per day--flip floppers, nobos, and section-hikers combined.
At the festival, there are a number of future flip floppers in attendance. That's probably the ideal time to come--a year in advance of your hike.
This year, we'll also have a number of 2017 flip floppers helping out, or coming for the Celebration of Flip Floppers sponsored by REI to have mini-reunions. Are there any WhiteBlazers who are coming?
Meet & Greet Sat. 9 am for 2018 Flip Floppers; FF Panel Sunday morning at 9:30
Meet & Greet Saturday morning
If anyone is a 2018 flip flopper and hasn't heard about the Meet and Greet Saturday morning 9:00 am - 10:00 am through other channels, we still have a little space left.
This is a chance for this year's flip flop thru-hikers to meet each other at the beginning of the weekend at a quieter setting than the Celebration that starts at The Barn at 5:00 pm.
ATC's CEO Suzanne Dixon will be there to welcome folks, and some flip floppers from previous years will be there too. This is just a casual get-together, sitting around a table. If you are interested in attending, send me an email at [email protected].
Flip Flopper Panel Sunday morning 9:30 am
We have just added a Flip Flopper panel for Sunday at 9:30 am - 10:20 am at the Curtis Freewill Baptist Church. On Saturday, REI will be hosting a Storytelling session with a panel of 5 hikers (that includes 3 flip floppers, 1 an REI employee), but that one is intended for a broad audience. The Sunday morning panel will be more factual information, intended to provide helpful details for prospective flip floppers.
Two Panels - adding one Sunday at 9:30
For those interested in thru-hiking broadly, flip flopping or flip floppers:
We've added a second panel Sunday morning in the Curtis Freewill Baptist Church basement from 9:30 am to 10:20 am. It's focused more on the nitty gritty of flip flopping, and will have a different line-up than the panel Saturday. We've got Jekyl, Chrissy Funk, Luna, and possibly one other.
The Saturday panel at The Barn (a stone's throw west of the Post Office, between the P.O. and the new Rations Cafe) from 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm is being organized by REI. It is more focused on storytelling for a broad audience. However, it turns out that 3 of the 4 participants are flip floppers, including Spice and Greeter from 2017.
If you're undecided about coming, come out to support the towns of Bolivar and Harpers Ferry's in their effort to have an event related to the Appalachian Trail. This year is the first time the towns have sponsored and created events completely of their own as part of the festival.
Harpers Ferry - Craft Beer and Food tasting at the gazebo
Bolivar - Farmers Market
Also, the Flip Flop Festival Quest is a wonderful partnership benefitting and meeting the goals of ATC, the Harpers Ferry-Bolivar Trail & Town Alliance, and Harpers Ferry Merchants. For participants, it should be a lot of fun, and there are cash prizes. I'm not sure of the final amount but I believe there will be 3 winners with prizes totaling somewhere in the vicinity of $200.
All the details at www.flipflopfestival.org.
