Capitol City Carnival

1ST ANNUAL ‘CAPITOL CITY CARNIVAL’
PREMIERS AT BULL RUN REGIONAL PARK 9/21-9/23

George Clinton

Beer and music lovers alike will want to take notice of the just-announced Capitol City Carnival, promoted and produced by Across-the-Way Productions, in conjunction with StarrHill brewery, from Charlottesville, Virginia, and Creality Communications. AtWP is the company behind the annual FloydFest, the four-day music festival which has put the small mountain town of Floyd, Virginia, on the cultural map, as well as the Vintage Virginia Wine Festival, held also at Bull Run Regional Park in early June. AtWP, partnering with the popular StarrHill and the creative design company Creality, brings their trademark uniqueness and a combined marketing savvy to the event, which is part beer tasting, part concert event, and all carnival.

The festival will span more than two days, starting at 5 p.m. Friday and running until 11 p.m., with Saturday hours 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., and 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sunday. Over 50 breweries will be in attendance, offering 4oz samplings from two varieties each. Advance tickets are $25 Friday, $35 Saturday and $30 Sunday, and include four tasting tokens. Full size beer glasses and additional tokens can be purchased at kiosks throughout the event.

The roster of music for the Capitol City Carnival sets it apart from existing beer events, with heavyweight headliners including the Godfather of Funk George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Junior Brown, Fishbone, The Avett Brothers, and Southern Culture on the Skids, as well as regional favorites American Dumpster, DJ Williams Projekt, Sons of Bill, Kings of Bellmont, Eli Cook Band, Peen, Cashmere Jungle Lords and Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band. But beyond the great music and the hundred or so great tasting beers for sampling, the real flavor of the festival comes in part from the retro-carnival flair of Coney Island Sideshow Attractions. Included in the price of admission, festival goers can sneak-a-peak at Diamond Donny, Insectavora, Heather Holiday, Serpentina, and Roc Rockit. Additionally, if the World Famous Pontani Sisters Burlesque show doesn’t knock some socks off, than Yard Dogs Road Show, a cutting-edge variety show also performing at this year’s Bonnaro, will. And if all of this is too much to take in, than hop on the ferris wheel and get some air and a bird’s eye view.