FloydFest 2019 starts Wednesday

ROANOKE, Va.- – It's almost time for FloydFest 2019. This year's theme is Voyage Home. 

In two days, thousands of people will be attend the five day music and arts festival. This year's newest art installation is a man-made boat in honor of staff member, Rio Semione. 

She passed away in 2013 and was instrumental in getting the festival started.

"You guys are the first ones to see it, which I think is very exciting. But the boat just really speaks about the community and about being together on this voyage and coming home," said Sam Calhoun, CEO of Across The Way Productions and FloydFest.

Volunteers are finishing arrangements for thousands of guests. 

"We have about 400 staff and maybe another 400 volunteers. So it's a lot going on behind the scenes," said Calhoun. 
   
Maria Ekaterina with the Fluidity Performance Troupe plans to entertain the crowd. 

"I will be doing LED performances in the evening. I will also be performing the fire," said Ekaterina. 

In 2017, she got engaged right before a performance. 

"As soon as I come on stage, he comes out with a microphone and proposes to me in front of 7,000 people while it's being live streamed everywhere,"  said Ekaterina. 

Vince Freels is one of the vendors at the festival. He's the catering manager at Dogtown Roadhouse. They have their own permanent oven on site to make wood fired pizzas.

"It is quite awesome. We have a nice following in Floyd already. A lot of our Floyd people that come and see us on a regular basis are at this festival as well. They stop by and have a good ole time and cheer us on," said Freels. 

FloydFest will happen over five days with more than 100 performances on eight different stages.