Department of Conservation and Recreation
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Department of Conservation and Recreation
Media inquiries: Please contact Dave Neudeck, dave.neudeck@dcr.virginia.gov, 804-786-5053.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: August 21, 2025
Contact: Starr Anderson, Public Relations and Marketing Specialist, 540-460-1540, starr.anderson@dcr.virginia.gov
Papa Joe Smiddy Mountain Music Festival returns to Natural Tunnel State Park
(Editors: Follow this link to download an image. Photo caption: Papa Joe Smiddy Mountain Music Festival)
(Editors: Follow this link to download an image. Photo caption: Papa Joe Smiddy Mountain Music Festival)
Duffield, Va. - On Sunday, Aug. 31, the 22nd Annual Papa Joe Smiddy Mountain Music Festival will honor the memory and legacy of Dr. Joseph “Papa Joe” Smiddy. The event is presented by the Cove Ridge Center Foundation, a supporting group of Natural Tunnel State Park. It will be held in the amphitheater at Natural Tunnel State Park in Duffield, Virginia, starting at 5 p.m.
This year’s festival is free to attend thanks to the generosity of our sponsors. Attendees may give a donation to the Cove Ridge Foundation to support its scholarship fund. A $5 per vehicle parking fee applies.
This annual gathering seeks to promote the musical heritage of the area’s Appalachian Mountain culture and honors the tireless work of “Papa Joe,” who promoted the music of our region for many decades. In addition to being an accomplished old-time banjo player, entertainer and educator, Smiddy was Chancellor Emeritus at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise.
This year’s performers will be Dr. Joe Smiddy & Reedy Creek, the Roan Street Ramblers, The University of Virginia at Wise Papa Joe Smiddy Bluegrass Band and a selected band from this year’s Pickin’ in the Park Series.
Dr. Joe Smiddy & Reedy Creek have played together for more than four decades. Reflecting the broad musical tastes of Papa Joe, the band plays a variety of old-time music and original songs. Papa Joe started “Pickin’ in the Park,” the summer Sunday afternoon get-togethers at Natural Tunnel designed to encourage children and families to play music.
The Roan Street Ramblers are a family band from Johnson City, Tennessee. The mother of the clan, Leslie Smith is an alumnus of ETSU’s Bluegrass, Old Time and Roots Music Program. She performs with her children all of whom are string musicians and have been playing and performing since the were three to five years old. They were selected as the winner of the Pickin’ in the Park series last year and perform regularly all over the area.
The UVA at Wise Papa Joe Smiddy Bluegrass Band has performed a number of times at our festival and feature performers from the music program at the college. They always bring energy and excellent showmanship to their performances.
The selection from this year’s Pickin’ in the Park series will start the show off.
While there is fixed seating under roof, additional seating is available and used on the grass behind the fixed seating, so festivalgoers are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket. A shuttle will be available for festivalgoers with mobility issues. It will take them to the backstage level and bring them back up to the parking lot when they are ready to go home.
An on-site concessions stand will be available to provide food and refreshments. In addition, food vendors will be at the amphitheater that evening.
The Cove Ridge Foundation is grateful to its generous sponsors, UVA at Wise, American Electric Power, Axe Handle Distilling, Virginia Electric and Mine Supply, Powell Valley Bank and Wise Kiwanis whose generous contributions have offset the cost of putting on the festival. The Foundation is also thankful to ProArt for providing their expertise in operating the sound system for the festival.
In 2025, festival admission is free of charge; however, there is a $5 per vehicle parking fee. Festivalgoers are welcome to donate to the Cove Ridge Foundation, but no payment will be expected. For additional information on the event, you may call the Cove Ridge Center at 276-940-2674, visit the center’s webpage at www.coveridge.com.
Proceeds from the festival go into the Cove Ridge Foundation’s Papa Joe Smiddy Scholarship Fund. The Papa Joe Smiddy Mountain Music Festival is an affiliated site on the Crooked Road.
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Virginia State Parks are managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. For more information about Virginia State Parks’ activities and amenities or to reserve one of the more than 1,800 campsites or 300 climate-controlled cabins, call the Virginia State Parks Reservation Center at 800-933-PARK or visit www.virginiastateparks.gov.
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