The 9th annual 30A Songwriters Festival is January 12-15, 2018 and what a lineup of talent is expected! The event will feature 175 songwriters and more than 225 performances held in 25 + venues along scenic Highway 30A in South Walton County. This is one of the most beloved events in South Walton.
The festival‘s most recent addition is Ann Wilson of Heart. She joins a stellar lineup including Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, The Zombies, North Mississippi Allstars and Lee Ann Womack. Also confirmed for premier nighttime performances are Charles Kelly of Lady Antebellum, Patty Griffin, Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls with her solo Murmuration Nation band, Shawn Mullins and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame members Mike Reid and Craig Wiseman. (More artists listed at bottom of this post).
Photos provided by SoWal.com.
The 30A Songwriters Festival transforms amphitheaters, town halls, restaurants, theaters, bars and covered patios into unique music venues ranging in capacity from 75 to 500 seats indoors and 5,000 outdoors. A variety of festival weekend passes are now available starting at $280 and can be purchased at www.30asongwritersfestival.com, and locally in South Walton at the Cultural Arts Alliance office in Santa Rosa Beach, the Foster Gallery in Grand Boulevard and at Central Square Records in Seaside. Devise your plan of attack on music highway by viewing the schedule here.
The 30A Songwriters Festival has teamed up with NPR’s Folk Alley, a multi-media music service produced by WKSU. Folk Alley will be on site throughout the weekend producing unique sessions interviewing artists and filming and recording performances in a home studio on 30A. The in-studio Sessions are aired on the syndicated Folk Alley Radio Show. The Sessions from the 30A Songwriters Festival are archived as well at folkalley.com. ASCAP returns as a sponsor and hosts a three-night series of up-and-coming and seasoned songwriters in the round and late night artist parties.
Four-course VIP dinners hosted by award-winning guest chefs are being offered on Friday and Saturday nights. Both dinners will include wine pairings by Adam Caperton as well as special musical guests to be announced at a later date. VIP tickets offering premium seating on the lawn at Grand Boulevard for the headline shows on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and access to the VIP tent serving complementary food, beer, wine and cocktails are available online at www.30asongwritersfestival.com. Additional VIP offerings include various all weekend transportation packages for parties of two up to 12 as well as a special night of music and free craft beers at the local based Grayton Beer Company Taproom.
Net proceeds from the 30A Songwriters Festival benefit the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County and its mission to advance the arts throughout Walton County. For more information on the 2018 30A Songwriters Festival the including constant updates on confirmed artists, venues, and ticket purchase information, visit www.30asongwritersfestival.com.
If you ever wondered what actual songwriters say about the 30A Songwriters Festival, here are remarks from Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles:
“The 30A Songwriters Festival is a three-day party which takes place along the outrageously gorgeous beaches of South Walton, unexpectedly romantic in wintertime. A series of magical moments unfolding over the course of the long weekend – old friends reuniting, new friendships being born…large audiences and performers enjoying days and nights of music, storytelling both poignant and humorous, spontaneous jams, Southern hospitality, delicious food and wine – the experience of 30A is guaranteed to make you feel exhilarated and alive. “
Other artists include Kathy Mattea, Paul Thorn, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Ed Roland of Collective Soul, James McMurtry, Hayes Carll, Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ and Ruthie Foster, John Driskell Hopkins, Bob Schneider, The Secret Sisters, Webb Wilder, Bonnie Bishop, Seth Walker, Elise Davis, Kevn Kinney, Daphne Willis, Tommy Talton, Sugarcane Jane, The Mulligan Brothers, Adron, Tom Gray, Liz Longley, Grayson Capps, Chastity Brown, Gurufish, Caroline Spence, The Mastersons, Vanessa Peters, The Tall Pines, Michigan Rattlers, Cooper Carter, Chasing Lovely, The Ormewoods, Silver Alchemy, Tamara Stewart, Patterson Barrett, Carly Burruss, Ian Fitzgerald, Leah Calvert, Chris Alvarado, Sera Cahoone, Clarence Bucaro, The Mosleys, Mando Saenz, ESOEBO, and The Wide Open.
Also performing are Tommy Stinson (the Replacements, Bash & Pop), John Gorka, Gretchen Peters, Jeffrey Steele, Kim Richey, Mary Gauthier, Jeff Black, Will Kimbrough, Dan Navarro, The War & Treaty, Wyatt Durette, Farewell Angelina, Griffin House, Levi Lowrey, Gabriel Kelley, Michael McDermott, Peter Case, Charlie Mars, Peter Bradley Adams, Chris Stills, Emerson Hart (Tonic), David Ryan Harris (John Mayer Band), David Hodges (Evanescence), Erick Baker, Heather Horton, Jesse Terry, Joe Crookston, Old Salt Union, Peter Karp, Randall Bramblett, Robby Hecht, Don Dixon and Marti Jones, Becky Warren, Alex Guthrie, Jemina & Selina, Mary Bragg, Blue Jays, Josh Osborne, Jaren Johnston, Mark Irwin, Jonathan Singleton, Jeremy Stover, Matt Dragstrem, Adam Hambrick, Jacob Davis, Austin Jenckes, David Berkeley, Davin McCoy, Matt Hires, David Robert King, Eliot Bronson, and Michelle Malone.
In its 9th year, the 30A Songwriters Festival continues to grow and offers great opportunity to hear beloved artists along the most beautiful beaches in the world. The Scenic Sotheby’s International Realty team looks forward to this event every year. We hope to see you as well traveling and listening along South Walton’s music highway, 30A.
