Blacksburg Fork & Cork 2024
Venue: Historic Smithfield, Blacksburg
Organizations: Blacksburg Partnership, Kat Mills, Merchant Copy, Noah Spencer
Date: Saturday, April 20, 2024
Time: 1:00 - 5:30 PM
Event Types: Music, Food, Drink Specials, Miscellaneous
Cost:

Description:
Blacksburg Partnership presents the 14th Annual Blacksburg Fork and Cork which will be held on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at Historic Smithfield.

Schedule:
• VIP Access: 12:00-5:30 PM
• Regular Access: 1:00-5:30 PM

Take part in the Blacksburg Fork and Cork festivities as we celebrate our 14th year! Delight yourself in wine samplings from local & regional wineries and cideries, food, creations from local artists & vendors and live music from Kat Mills, Noah Spencer and Merchant Copy. Sit back, sip, savor, and come enjoy an afternoon with us!

Music Lineup:
• 12:00-1:00 PM: Kat Mills
• 1:15-3:15 PM: Noah Spencer
• 3:30-5:30 PM: Merchant Copy

Kat Mills performs soul folk music to soothe you and is based in Blacksburg, VA and tours throughout the East. She is a writer, singer, guitarist and seeker rooted in GenX habits, nodding and winking to 60s and 70s troubadour traditions, and openly commenting on the aches and triumphs of the moment. Any way you hear it, Kat's powerful vocal range, vintage Martin guitar, and mystic vibes combine to produce a clean honest sound that leaves audiences wanting more.

Kat Mills believes in the power of folk music, now more than ever, to transport and transcend. A troubled day, or world, can be soothed by a song. At a time when we have almost forgotten how to be still, to listen, to reflect and then engage, Kat Mills helps us remember.

She was a founding member of acclaimed newgrass band, Grass. Kat is currently based in Blacksburg VA and touring as a solo singer and songwriter throughout the East and beyond. Kat has been inspiring all with her music, her smoky voice and heartfelt lyrics for years.

Her vintage guitars and throwback threads remind you of another era, but her soulful original songs and stories are for the here and now. Kat Mills has made records, won awards, and worked with some of the big names, but she really just wants to use her voice for good.

Kat has proudly been involved in Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival (NY), Floyd Fest (VA), Solar Fest (VT), The Takoma Park Folk Festival (DC) and other events lining up with issues of social justice and environmental responsibility. Favorite opening sets have supported Levon Helm, Dar Williams, Dori Freeman and Sarah Lee Guthrie.

Songwriter series, in-the-rounds, and house concerts have been a mainstay. But Kat Mills is equally at home on a theater or café stage, having played notable songwriter venues including The Towne Crier, Rosendale Café, The Lyric Theatre, Caffe Lena, Jefferson Center, and Kirk Avenue Music Hall. She was a finalist in the 2015 NewSong/LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition, has had original song placements in film and podcasts, and appears as a backing vocalist for other artists, most recently with super-group “Reelin’ in the Years: A Tribute to Steely Dan” at the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock NY.

Links:

• http://www.katmills.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/thekatmillsshow
• https://www.twitter.com/TheKatMillsShow
• https://www.reverbnation.com/katmills
• https://www.youtube.com/user/thekatmillsshow
• https://www.instagram.com/thekatmillsshow/

Noah Spencer is an up and coming musician from Richlands in Southwest Virginia. He brings a genuine passion to the stage with a voice that's both soft and smooth, but also gritty and soulful. His shows cover a wide range of styles from country to rock, Americana, pop, and gospel. He enjoys singing and playing guitar, drums, piano and the ukulele. He loves to entertain and is always ready to play.

Noah was also a contestant and starred on NBC's "The Voice" in Season 24 advancing to the playoff rounds.

Noah started singing in church when he was 5 years old and picked up his first guitar when he was 11. From there he also picked up drums, piano, bass and even ukulele. He stays busy year round with school and sports, but his ultimate passion is playing music and performing any time he has the chance. His musical influences are broad and include artists from many genres including David Crowder, Shane and Shane, Zac Brown, John Mayer, Ed Sheeran, Tyler Childers, Chris Stapleton and Jack Johnson just to name a few.

Links:

• https://www.noahspencersmusic.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/NoahSpencersmusic
• https://www.instagram.com/noahspencersmusic/

Merchant Copy is a classic rock & roll and blues band based in Roanoke, VA playing hits from the 70s and 80s.

Links:

• https://www.facebook.com/MerchantCopyBand
• https://www.instagram.com/merchantcopyband

There are three level of tickets available including regular tasting, VIP and non-tasting tickets. VIP tickets are limited and will only be available in advance.

VIP tasting tickets allows ticket holders one hour early access to the festival beginning at 12:00 PM along with access to the VIP Tent which will include additional specialty tastings not available to regular tasting ticket holders, light snacks and select VIP amenities.

Regular tasting tickets allows the ticket holder access to festival grounds, wine samplings, food trucks, festival vendors and live music. Regular tasting ticket holders may purchase glasses or bottles of wine.

Non-tasting tickets include full access to the festival without the wine tasting. Children 12 and under are free.

Tickets will be available for purchase online at: https://blacksburgforkandcork.com/tickets/.

Tastings end at 5:15 PM.

Chairs and blankets are encouraged.

Ample parking is available in adjacent Virginia Tech lots. Shuttle services is complimentary from multiple spots within parking lots to festival entrance.

Bring your ID as everyone will be ID'ed. No exceptions.

Well behaved pets are allowed on a leash and provided owners clean up after them.

The event is rain or shine.

Nearly 150 volunteers are needed to help run the event. Volunteers receive a free t-shirt, free festival admission with wine tastings before or after your shift and a souvenir wine glass. To volunteer, visit: https://blacksburgpartnership.ivolunteer.com/forkandcork_2024.

Proceeds from this event benefit The Blacksburg Partnership, a non-profit organization working to enhance the quality of life in Blacksburg.

Historic Smithfield is located at 1000 Smithfield Plantation Road in Blacksburg, VA on the campus of Virginia Tech.

To view the event flyer, visit: https://i.postimg.cc/DwFjH3kh/image.png.

For more information, visit https://blacksburgforkandcork.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/forkandcork or https://www.instagram.com/blacksburgforkandcork/.