Garner picnic is a Roots fest staple

FAYETTEVILLE — Rumor of their attendance started making its way around the festival community almost as soon as they bought their tickets. Fayetteville Roots co-founder Bryan Hembree had talked for months about a group of Americana music fans in Paris that bought tickets to this year’s festival.

In fact, festivarians from nearly half the country’s states are also represented at this weekend’s (Aug. 24-25) festival featuring the David Grisman Jazz Trio and the legendary John Prine.

The four day-event kicked off Thursday (Aug 23) with a concert and picnic at the home of Denise and Dr. Hershey Garner. It was there, sitting on the lawn, that that one could encounter the festival’s foreign guests: Remi Arquvaux, Baptiste Hamon, Mathieu Pastor, Amelia Qualtrough and Amelia Card.

The bountiful meal, consisting of homemade breads and desserts and main courses and side dishes locally grown meats and produce, was the party’s centerpiece. The catered meal presented by Feed Fayetteville was made with locally-sourced ingredients and prepared by Chef David Lewis (BHK Kafe) and Chef Jerrmy Gawthrop (Greenhouse Grille) and Chef Bill Lyle (Ella’s).

But just as yummy was the live music played under the Garners’ mammoth porch after dinner.

By the end of the evening, the crowd was spread around tables, on church pews and in plastic white chairs, listening intently to sets of music by Ryan Spearman, the duo of Danny Schmidt and Carrie Elkin and The Steel Wheels.