By Roslyn Ryan
Editor

When it comes to music, Powhatan residents have always embraced a wide variety of styles. We have church-rocking gospel and good-old-fashioned rock. We welcome jazz festivals and international childrens’ choirs.

But when trying to distill the style of music that represents the true roots of the county, the answer is clear as a mountain stream: nothing says Powhatan like good-old-fashioned, boot-stomping country music.
And nobody does country like Charlie Daniels.

When it came to finding the quintessential artist to headline the biggest concert event in Powhatan’s history, promoters were thrilled to find out that Daniels was willing to be a part of it.

An electric performer with half a century in the spotlight (and 40 studio albums to his credit), Daniels will be among several artists taking the stage for the planned Patriot’s Day celebration on September 11.

“We couldn’t have picked a better artist to bring to Powhatan,” said festival organizer Deborah Tokarz, pointing out the artist’s dedication to the US military and his “deep and abiding love for this country.”

Event information:
The USA Patriots’ Day Music Classic will be held at Vista del Lago Estate, 1960 Old Tavern Rd in Powhatan.
The event is being hosted by Clyde O. Childress, Major. USMC, Retired and his wife Connie.
Major Childress is a retired Marine Corps Helicopter Pilot and the recipient of 21 Air Medals and 1 Distinguished Flying Cross.
Gates open at 11 a.m. The event is scheduled to last until 8 p.m.
This is an all ages event, and children 10 and under are admitted free with a paying adult.
Tickets ($25) can be purchased online at TicketsToBuy.com or charge by phone at (804) 794-6700.

Parking:
Free parking will be available at the intersection of Old Tavern Rd. and Route 13 (signs will be posted). Organizers suggest carpooling to the event.
There will also be a free shuttle service available from the parking areas to the festival grounds. ADA and handicap accommodations will also be available close the front gate.

Inclement weather:
The event is rain or shine. Organizers recommend that you bring a rain jacket or poncho but ask that you do not bring an umbrella due to safety reasons and site lines.

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More info on the show:

Items not permitted:
Backpacks, bags or coolers, alcohol, bottles/glass containers, contraband (drugs and weapons), laser pointers, bicycles and skateboards, flying objects (kites, frisbees, etc), recording equipment and professional cameras.

The event, which will be held on Powhatan resident Clyde Childress’ property will also feature performances by 2009 America’s Got Talent Winner Kevin Skinner and local Bluegrass band Copper Ridge.

It’s expected to draw around 15,000 people, which means at least two things for certain: Plenty of money will be raised for the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program, and Tokarz and her small staff of producers won’t be getting much sleep.
Putting together an event this big, even for a veteran event coordinator like Tokarz, brings along a tsunami of “what ifs,” and Tokarz admits the pressure has been intense.

“There’s a heck of a lot to gain, but, also, a heck of a lot to lose,” she said last Wednesday from Childress’s home, where she and one of her helpers were busy hammering out the details of, among other things, feeding what will amount to a small city of concert-goers, crew members and volunteers.

Fortunately, Tokarz said, the people she is working with are seasoned professionals. She couldn’t say enough about the help she has received from local emergency response workers and police, as well as all the local businesses that have pitched in to make her, and her team, feel at home.

At the end of the day, said Tokarz, the art of coordinating such a production is something she relishes.
The lack of sleep, however, she could probably do without: last week she said she was averaging around 3 hours of sleep a night. As the day of the show approaches, “we’ll be going 24 hours a day,” she said.