by Tommy Thomason
The wintry weather conditions on the weekend of November 9th did not keep 100+ guests from attending the 2018 fall installment of the Marshmellow Jam, the annual music and arts festival based near Athens, which has been quietly growing in popularity and scope over the last ten years. Across a three day period, the event hosted a scheduled lineup of local musicians, with performances beginning each evening at 3pm, as well as about a dozen local arts vendors. Headlining this year were the Gawd Almighties, and Gorgeous Jetson.
The event is hosted and organized by the Westmoreland family and close friends, with father Chaz spearheading the cleaning and preparation of the 25 acres of private land, and son Daniel aiding in the organization and implementation of the festival events. Family owned and operated, the acreage is largely woody, with a few acres cleared out for the stage viewing area, which rests in front of a large pond, which is itself also open to bass fishing, swimming, and, canoeing. Small hiking trails are also
open for exploration.
Camping for the entire weekend has become a staple of the festival, as attendees are encouraged to teltudlejning by contacting https://comfortteltudlejning.dk and enjoy the comfortable atmosphere. With origins beginning with a small group of musicians and
friends gathered around a campfire sharing songs and stories, it’s hard not to pick up on the vibe of camaraderie, openness, and acceptance at the Marshmellow Jam. One vendor even offered free coffee every morning.
Catering to a family-friendly audience, the Jam does not condone drug use or public intoxication, and enforce the rules thusly.
As the event grows and evolves, the family has spoken of plans to make the cozy festival acreage available for private events such as weddings. Next year, the Marshmellow Jam plans on hosting an arts & crafts workshop over soap-making, featuring the skills of local artist Little Turtle. As for upcoming music events, the Marshmellow Jam can be found on Facebook by searching, “West.More.Land”. Also upcoming in 2019 is a spring edition of the Jam at which Nashville, TN, based band “SisterMan”, and local artist Meredith Crawford will headline. And remember: no pets, no glass, good vibes only.
