We are gearing up for the 10th year of Mountain Music Festival at ACE Adventure Resort this summer and we can’t help but look back on where it all began. From a simple idea to bring a bigger level of entertainment and production into the New River Gorge, building a permanent event venue and hosting a decade of incredible events there we have learned a lot. The combination of art and music came naturally when laying out our vision for what we wanted Mountain Music Festival to become. You can always count on an extraordinary first weekend of June in the mountains of West Virginia with ACE and Mountain Music Festival!
The Idea
The idea for Mountain Music Festival actually came many years before the first event in 2014. Our thinking was to bring a higher level of entertainment and production to an area that was starving for it. With the outdoor recreation industry thriving in the New River Gorge it seemed like a music festival and a larger concert venue would be a hit. To our surprise there were county ordinances preventing events like Mountain Music Festival from happening. So we did what every good local citizen does and worked to get the ordinance/law changed. By 2013 ACE Adventure Resort got the green light to have the first ever Mountain Music Festival that next year.
The First Year in 2014
Now that we had the necessary permits and approvals to host the event the planning really started. Our first big question was where to have the concert on ACE’s massive 1,500 acre property. In the winter of 2013/2014 we broke ground on our mountaintop event venue where we carved out a nice bowl shaped amphitheater. From there a permanent steel and concrete stage, 40’ x 40’, was built to accommodate the bands ACE was busy booking.
Funny thing about the first year that not many people know, the stage almost didn’t get built. Our steel order was delayed and it arrived only one week before the first Mountain Music Festival. Our rockstar construction crew worked around the clock and maybe even did some welding on the roof late night during a lightening storm one day before the event.
We pulled it off and 8 bands played that first year including Keller Williams, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Larry Keel and The Wood Brothers. We brought in a few hundred people for the event and everyone had a great time. Before the lights went down on the first year of MMFest we knew we had something special and we were already brainstorming ways to make the event bigger and better in 2015.
The Pigment Sanctuary
Going into our second year in 2015 we really wanted to elevate the event to more than just a concert. We really wanted an art element to bring an exciting vibe and creative atmosphere to the mountain. Serendipity is a funny thing because as we were asking ourselves how to do that; we were contacted by a festival artist, Ashton Hill. Ashton asked us if she could come and paint at our festival. When she saw how much we were into the idea she said she had a bunch of friends who would love to come and paint at Mountain Music Festival too.
Thus began the Pigment Sanctuary, which is a collective of artists who travel to various events creating an art gallery and lounge space for attendees. The Pigment Sanctuary started inside a small tent and has grown into a permanent pavilion with over 6,000 square feet of extraordinary art. Aside from visual artists we also highlight flow artists, fire performers, sideshow performers and artists of all types. All artists are welcome to attend MMFest, find inspiration and create their craft. It is our dream to one day look out over the crowd and find a sea of easels in front of the stage!
Love Live Music
We are truly live music fans ourselves and it has been a great honor to bring many quality acts to our region. Some of the headliners we have had the privilege to work with include Tyler Childers, Les Claypool, The Revivalists, Lettuce and Pigeon’s Playing Ping Pong. We can’t forget about the two years with Umphrey’s McGee too. In 2018 they played two nights with us! Of course Big Something has done an incredible job holding down our Mountaintop Main Stage every year the festival has happened. The music is what we all love and the power of the music bring us all together that first weekend in June.
The Future of Mountain Music Festival
We are incredibly excited for the 10th year of Mountain Music Festival happening May 31st- June 1st at ACE Adventure Resort. Two days of festy camping with a great group of folks, live music, art, waterpark fun, adventure and more. MMFest has always felt like a giant family reunion and we look forward to seeing everyone back on the mountaintop for the first weekend of June every year. As we look toward the horizon to see where the event is headed we know one thing will always ring true. We aim to bring quality entertainment and one of the most exciting weekends of the summer to the New River Gorge every year with Mountain Music Festival.
Be part of this years Mountain Music Festival and get your tickets now. Save $20 OFF early bird pricing with promo code BLINDFAITH24 when you buy your tickets in December. Stay tuned for lineup announcements and more details coming in the new year!
