Your guide to Deep Roots Festival 2012

The poignant aroma of barbecue beckons salivating patrons. Tunes from live bands graze curious ears. Elaborate pottery, jewelry and paintings catch the eyes of onlookers.

This is the Deep Roots Festival.

Starting at 10 a.m. on Oct. 20, students, faculty and Baldwin County residents will begin to flood the streets of Downtown Milledgeville.

Deep Roots is known for many things, among those being the Deep Roots Car Show, Memphis Barbecue Network cook-off, crafts and, of course, music.

The music will begin to fill the air at 3 p.m., with the first performance of the day from Mayview Road, a band with a sound that is a little bit of every genre.

Grammy award winner Chris Thomas King will precede Mayview Road.

For fans of the Milledgeville music scene, 7 p.m. will ring in the uniting of some of the town’s top performers who call themselves The Eclective.

South Carolina’s Dangermuffin will help close the night along with the headliner, the Givers.

Sophomore accounting major Joe Garland is more than ready for this year’s performances.

“One of the best parts of fall here at GC is going to Deep Roots,” Garland said. “The music is by far my favorite part of the day, and I’m extremely excited to see all the performers that are lined up this year.”

While the music is considered one of the best parts of Deep Roots, there are still many other things to look forward to.

“I am most excited about the Deep Roots bike ride Saturday morning,” sophomore pre-nursing major Danielle Shellman said. “All of the proceeds go to charities.”

The annual Memphis Barbecue Network cook-off is also something that many people look forward to every year.

Carlee Schulte, director of Milledgeville Main Street, said that there are some exciting new changes to look forward to for this year’s cook-off.

“One of the big questions people ask is ‘Will I be able to taste the BBQ?’ and the answer is yes,” Schulte said. “We will have barbecue plates for sale throughout the day as well as People’s Choice.”

When festival attendees arrive this year they can also expect a little change in scenery.  The arts and crafts area this year will be located in the middle of the street to allow for easier access to the downtown businesses as well as the vendors. This has been a concern in previous years, so the rearrangement should make this year’s festival even better than those of the past.

Schulte hopes that a multitude of GC students, families and Baldwin County residents will fill the streets of Downtown Milledgeville to see all of her hard work in action.

“My favorite part (of the day) is early in the morning being on Hancock Street before anyone is here and thinking about how many people will be filling the streets before we know it,” Schulte said. “The excitement that the festival brings to our community is really what it’s all about – bringing people together to have a fun-filled day.”

Tickets will be sold at the entrances for $5 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and $15 after 5 p.m.

The Lineup

Givers Ending the night, this quintet hails from Louisiana and has recently been touring with Gotye.  Expect to feel a sense of euphoria when watching this rather eclectic band perform.  Their newest album is set to release in 2013, but in the meantime look up “Up Up Up.”  Your ears will thank you.

Dangermuffin With their album “Olly Oxen Free” recently being released, Dangermuffin is ready to present the crowd with a wide array of sounds, including calypso, ska, and Southern rock.  With community as a strong theme throughout their songs, their music promises to bring the Milledgeville crowd together.

The Eclective With Jon Joiner of Stokeswood, Cory Cain of The Maccios, TJ Brown of Bomb Chewey, Brandon Marsolo of Elastic Skyline and Cory Stephens of Josh Roberts & The Hinges, this group of entertainers is sure to bring some excitement to the Deep Roots stage.

Chris Thomas King A multi Grammy award winner will grace Milledgeville on Oct. 20 in the form of Chris Thomas King.  He has both Gold and Platinum awards and has sold more than 10 million records to date.  With his new album “Bona Fide” recently released, he is sure to be a musical treat.

Mayview Road Hailing form Sandersville, GA, Mayview Road is named after a road that runs through town and will be the first act for the day.  The band relates to anyone who just shares a love of music.  Expect to hear a little bit of jazz, a little bit of bluegrass, and a lot of rock n’ roll.

Posted by Haley Bogan on Oct 18 2012. Filed under A&E, Lead stories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.