Festival staff carries on

The 27th Walnut Valley Festival was the first since the death of Brian Redford

This year's Walnut Valley Festival was an emotional one, the first since the death of Brian Redford, son of the event's owners and heir apparent of the festival.

"There were a lot of hugs," said Rex Flottman, festival spokesman, who noted that many people had stories about Redford to share and many of the weekend's events reminded people of him.

At the same time, he said, there was a real sense among the festival staff that it was important for the festival to go on.

"We didn't want this to become a four-day memorial service for Brian," he said. "I think that one of the concerns that Brian would have was that his passing would not affect the future of the festival. He would have wanted it to go on."

And go on it did, with an estimated 13,800 people in attendence at the festival, a slight dip from last year. Plans are already in the works for the 1999 festival, Flottman said, and dates for it were on stickers, picks and camping passes that were passed out over the weekend.

Before the festival ever started, Flottman said the city had the grounds looking better than they had in years. Working with crews from the Winfield Correctional Facility, the city staff removed poison ivy and weeds and had the grass looking "beautiful," he said. "The roads were probably in the best shape they've been in for years ... They had everything looking great. I'm not the only one who noticed that."

Janan Smith of Wichita, who said she has come to the festival about seven times, said she came to one of the first festivals and it was a slow time.

"It was really, really hot and dry and dusty," she said. "There was nothing going on."

Years later, when her brother was competing in the hammered dulcimer contest, she came back.

"I hadn't realized it had gotten so big," Smith said.

She said she appreciated the festival including local and up-and-coming acts, such as Live Bait the Band, Home Rangers and the "Best of the Campground Pickin'" feature.

Flottman said several acts had breakout years. The popularity of Marley's Ghost has snowballed, he said.

"Every year they get stronger as far as the audience following and loyalty," Flottman said. "Small Potatoes got rave reviews from fans ... I think Crucial Smith and New West were the same type of thing."

"The must-see band around the camp I infiltrate was Crucial Smith, which had a head start in my book because they chose such a cool name," said Paul Kislanko of Plano, Texas. Kislanko has been to eight festivals.

Away from the main stages, people had a good time, too.

"The campground's a lot of fun," said Smith.

"It seemed to me like there was more room in the campgrounds, and even more than usual everybody was out to have fun without stepping on each others' toes," Kislanko said.