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POLLSTAR
Movin' from Wilmer's to Marvin's
After hosting 10 various music festivals at Wilmer’s Park in
Brandywine, Md., Walther Productions is being forced out of the venue
because Prince George County officials redefined their interpretation of
zoning regulations.
The county’s strict stance came just three weeks before the start of
the “moe. Or les festival” featuring moe. And Les Claypool’s Frog
Brigade. It also affects Walther’s “Camp Bisco III: Señor Boombox”
festival with The Disco Biscuits and “Summer of Love ... 35 Years
Later” featuring headliner Dark Star Orchestra, The Derek Trucks Band,
The Wailers, and Victor Wooten.
Despite the sudden loss of venue, promoter Tim Walther found another
site within 24 hours and thinks being booted from Wilmer’s Park may be
a “blessing in disguise.”
The “moe. Or les festival” has been moved to Marvin’s Mountaintop
near Morgantown, W.Va. Walther said it’s a more attractive site
overlooking the Allegheny Mountains and the Cheat River.
He explained that in early June, community concern prompted Prince
George County to take a closer look at zoning regulations for the
Brandywine site when a rave-type event was promoted as “Join the
sickness at Wilmer’s Park.”
“It seemed like a rave-slash-sex-fest promotion or something like
that. It was definitely kind of a poor way to advertise whatever it was
they were trying to do,” Walther told POLLSTAR.
When county officials pulled the use-and-occupancy permits issued for
Wilmer’s Park in 1981, they found that only 11 of the park’s 80
acres were zoned for music festival activities.
“Of those 11 acres, only three acres were zoned for parking. So we
were going to have to park 5,000 people in three acres and, obviously,
that’s not going to work,” Walther said.
He was shocked when the county announced the reevaluated zoning
restrictions following a June 19th meeting called by officials on short
notice.
“I’ve done 10 campout events at Wilmer’s Park in the past and as
many as 6,500 people in attendance camping,” Walther lamented. “That’s
what really throws us for a loop is that we’ve done it so many times
in the past that we didn’t feel like there would be any problem with
doing it again.”
He added there’s never been any major problems at any of his events.
The new site at Marvin’s Mountaintop is a four-and-a-half hour drive
from Wilmer’s Park. Walther hopes the move won’t affect attendance
too much. He was expecting 5,000 to 6,000 people at Wilmer’s and hopes
4,000 to 5,000 of those fans will make the move to Marvin’s. He also
hopes all the booked bands will be able to make the venue change.
Walther said the 675-acre Marvin’s site “has the potential to be the
best festival site that we’ve ever worked, (with) plenty of room to
grow and multiple access roads.”
He added, “We’ll do everything we can to make it happen, make it
happen well, make it happen successfully.”
The change of venues for “Camp Bisco” and “Summer of Love” have
not been announced but Walther said he is considering Marvin’s for
those festivals as well.
