By JESSICA FARRISH
The Register-Herald
BECKLEY, W.Va. — Bridge Jam 2017 will be an evening for music, football and craft beer in downtown Fayetteville.
The Southern Rock group Georgia Satellites — memorable to many for their 1985 hit “Keep Your Hands to Yourself” about a relentless boy and his equally self-controlled girlfriend — will perform Saturday at Bridge Jam 2017, the premier outdoor music festival of Bridge Day.
The nationally-known bluegrass band The Seldom Scene (“Rider,” “Hickory Wind”) will headline on Friday.
“The music festival is a fun, family-friendly event that brings world class bands to Fayette County, for both local residents and visitors to enjoy,” Bridge Jam Co-founder Bill Wells said Monday. “This year, we have sold tickets to people coming from 13 states, including Connecticut, Florida and Arizona.
“The states with the highest ticket sales, after West Virginia, are Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.”
Wells said that 15 craft beers will be on tap from Fayetteville’s Bridge Brew Works, plus New Belgium Lagunitas and Foothills breweries this year for the latest addition to Bridgefest: the WVU v. Baylor Big 12 football clash will be televised on the WVU Mountaineer Alumni Tailgate Trailer’s wide-screen TV for Bridge Jam crowds on Saturday. Wine will also be available, Wells said.
The Gaines Estate offers a 50-acre pasture between Fayetteville High School and Pies and Pints restaurant in town. Cascade Properties LLC, made up of Wells and his wife, Sally, along with Richard and Melissa Stephens and Phil and Saundra Uy, bought the property in 2012 to develop a local venue for weddings, meetings and private parties.
“We decided that the pasture field would be a great place for a large music festival,” he said, adding that Cascade formed New River Events LLC to own and produce Bridge Jam and other events.
The start-up of the festival three years ago allowed New River Events to bring musical acts to Fayetteville and to extend festival-goers’ stay in the town.
“Many people to Bridge Day in the morning and leave once the bridge closes,” Wells said. “A multi-day music festival will encourage people to stay longer and hopefully use the area’s lodging properties, restaurants and shops.”
New River Events donates a portion of Bridge Jam ticket sales to 25 of profits to local civic groups, he added.
Bridge Jam will provide a shuttlebus service for Bridge Jam ticket holders from Bridge Jam to the bridge, the remote parking lots, the Quality Inn and downtown from 8:30 a.m. until after midnight on Saturday, Wells said.
Once the bridge reopens Saturday afternoon, a second shuttle will take Bridge Jam ticket holders to and from Bridge Jam and the north side of the bridge. North side stops include the remote parking lots at Midland Trail High School and the Lighthouse Church on Smales Branch Road and the Country Thai restaurant on Ames Heights Road.
People who park on the north side can walk across the bridge during Bridge Day and take the South Shuttle Bus to Bridge Jam and the return North Shuttle Bus back to their cars Saturday evening, he added.
Bridge Jam shuttle buses are free to Bridge Jam ticket holders.
Tent and RV camping are available on-site at the only location, he added.
“The festival grounds are within walking distance of everything that’s going on during the Bridge Day weekend,” Wells stated in a press release.
Cars can enter Cascade Field through the Fayetteville High parking lot. Parking is free.
Gates open at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, with music starting at 7 p.m.
On Saturday, Oct. 21, gates open at 1 p.m., with music starting at 2:30 p.m.
Music runs until midnight both nights.
Campgrounds open Friday morning at 9 a.m. Free parking for for the shuttle bus for Bridge Jam ticket holders opens at 8 a.m. on Saturday.
A bike valet service will be offered for cyclists, Wells added. The festival grounds include several mountain bike trails that will be open to the public.
Bridge Jam is partnering with the Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) this year as its primary sponsor, along with various local and statewide businesses.
A portion of the proceeds and ticket sales will be donated to the Fayetteville and Oak Hill Rotary clubs, The Fayetteville Arts Coalition and the New River Gorge Trail Alliance.
More information is available at www.thebridgejam.com Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thebridgejam/, on Twitter @thebridgejam, on Instagram at thebridgejam. Use hashtag #bridgejam2017 for more information and tickets.
Bridge Jam 2017 Schedule of Events
Gates Open 6 p.m.
Native Howl 7 p.m.
The Seldom Scene 9 p.m.
Step Into the Blue 10 p.m.
Saturday
On-site parking available 8 a.m.
South Shuttle Bus Starts 8:30 a.m.
Festival Grounds Gates Open 1 p.m.
Native Howl 2:30 p.m.
Matt Mullins and the Bringdowns 4:30 p.m.
Hillbenders 6:30 p.m.
North Shuttle Bus Starts 6:30 p.m.
Georgia Satellites 8:30 p.m.
Step Into the Blue 10:30 p.m.
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