Rooster Walk Festival 2024: What You Need to Know

From May 23 to 26, 2024, alt-country, Americana, and bluegrass fans will be treated to an eclectic lineup at Rooster Walk 14 Music & Arts Festival on the Pop’s Farm in Martinsville, Virginia. Yes, it’s four days of music and 40 bands across six stages, turning the idyllic rural area into a mecca of fun for true folk lovers. 

Headlining the event are Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner Emmylou Harris and internationally renowned guitarist-songwriter Cory Wong. They’re joined by one of the biggest forces in the jamgrass scene, the Broke Mountains Bluegrass Band. This is the band’s first set in nearly two decades. American blues and Southern rock band North Mississippi Allstars will also be there to fire up the crowd.

RELATED: Here Are The Best Emmylou Harris Songs Within Her Five Decade Career

In previous years, the festival invited high-profile artists like Grace Potter, The Infamous Stringdusters, Sam Bush, Billy Strings, Marcus King, The Wood Brothers, and The Wailers. And last year, they featured Greensky Bluegrass, St. Paul and The Broken Bones, Mike & The Moonpies, The Marshall Tucker Band, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, The Lil Smokies, Kelsey Waldon, and Yam.

The Line-up – Who’s Singing at Rooster Walk 14 Music & Art Festival

Everyone’s invited – Rooster Walk 14 Music & Arts Festival is ready to start the four-day jam session with their 40-band lineup. 

Artists At Large

Every year, they invite an assortment of musical maestros who will bounce around all four days, sitting in with other bands! And this year, they’re bringing in:

Festival Essentials & Insider Tips

Unlike what the festival’s name suggests, there are zero walking roosters, or any roosters, for that matter. 

Rooster Walk was actually named in memory of two childhood friends, Edwin ‘the Rooster’ Penn and Walker Shank. Edwin died back in 2007 in a dirt bike accident, while Walker passed away in his sleep at his apartment a year later due to an undiagnosed heart issue. The festival’s founder, Johnny Buck, thought a music fest was a fitting tribute. And it wasn’t just that. The proceeds from the festival go toward the Penn-Shank college scholarship fund, which was set up at their alma mater, Martinsville High School. 

RELATED: Troubadour Festival 2024: What You Need to Know

And there are lots of ticket options to choose from. 

You have the General Admission (GA) 4-Day Ticket for $175 and the GA 3-Day Ticket (for Thursday through Saturday and Friday through Sunday) for $150. Then there are also single-day GA passes for $45. 

For the VIP, you can avail yourself of the Full Strut 4-Day Ticket for $550, which gives you access to all six stages. GA only gets five because the last one is only for the VIPs. Aside from that, meal vouchers, beer tickets for ages 21+, access to the exclusive VIP Hospitality area, and a $25 gift certificate are also part of the package. You can also purchase the regular VIP 4-Day Ticket for $400, and the Teen VIP 4-Day Ticket for ages 13-17 with a VIP holder parent/guardian for $275.

All admission tickets are inclusive of primitive tent camping. There are also add-on RV Packages, Glamping, Near Car Camping, and Car Parking – both available onsite and offsite. 

Make sure to grab a ticket and purchase your add-ons ASAP because they’re selling out fast. You can also attend Road to Rooster Walk events to get two (2) pairs of 4-Day GA tickets. There’s Yarn on May 1 (Wednesday) at Clementine Cafe in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Rooster Walk House band with The Jared Stout Band and Lua Flora on May 4 (Saturday) on Pop’s Farm, and Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast on May 9 (Thursday) at the Pour House in Raleigh, North Carolina. For more info, tune in to their official website at Rooster Walk.