There’s a specific kind of magic that happens when a ski town figures out what to do with itself in September. Snowshoe just found it, and all they had to do was look back into their archives. Recently, the popular West Virginia ski resort announced the return of Ballhooter Festival. The once popular winter staple is back for three days over Labor Day weekend with a lineup that has zero business being this good for a ski resort event.
When Is the Ballhooter Festival at Snowshoe Mountain?
Photo Credit: Snowshoe Mountain Resort
Ballhooter will make its infamous return September 4 through 6 right on the top of the mountain. Headlining the event are the Turnpike Troubadours, 49 Winchester and Morgan Wade, telling you everything you need to know about the genre of music you should be prepared for. This is not some sort of pop, fake cowboy wearing cowboy hat music festival. It is country and folk with a little dust on your boots, if you know what I mean.
Other artists in the deep lineup include: Sam Bush, The Record Company, American Aquarium, Lindsay Lou, Crowe Boys, Jon Stickley Trio, The Larry Keel Experience, Colby T. Helms & The Virginia Creepers, Mama Said String Band, Big Daddy Love, The Gasoline Gypsies, and Corduroy Brown. No filler here. This is a bluegrass and Americana bench deep enough to headline smaller festivals on their own.
So how did Snowshoe pull this off? They teamed up with Across the Way Productions, the crew that runs FloydFest. If you have spent a weekend at FloydFest you know this type of collaboration is worth mentioning because it’s a promise that the production, the sound, and the atmosphere will be worth it.
Why Ballhooter Matters for the Snowshoe Mountain Après Scene
Photo Credit: Snowshoe Mountain Resort
Don’t gloss over a good après scene, even over Labor Day weekend. A mountaintop music festival serves as the ideal culmination to a day of earning it. Snowshoe has the bones to deliver adventure by day with a summer lineup that includes the bike park, the Raven Golf Club, hiking, scenic chairlift rides, off road tours, e-bike tours, swimming, and paddling. Stack three days of live music on top of all that and you get a rare setup where the party starts on the trail and doesn’t stop until the last set ends.
Picture this…morning laps at Snowshoe Bike Park, legs cooked by lunch. An afternoon float on the lake to cool off. Then when that “Almost Heaven” sun drops behind the ridgeline, you grab a cold one or two while and compare trail conditions as Sam Bush plays on stage in the background. That’s the whole appeal of après and a mountaintop festival done right. The daytime activity earns the night, and the night earns the hangover you’ll blame on the altitude instead of the whiskey.
Should You Book a Trip to Snowshoe for Ballhooter Festival?
Circle the dates on your calendar because this is the type of event you plan a weekend around. Lodging and tickets are already on sale and thanks to a mountaintop music festival with this type of stellar lineup, they are filling up fast. Snowshoe President and COO Patti Duncan put it simply, calling this year’s event a bigger and better version of a festival that used to be a winter staple on the mountain.
Moving Ballhooter to Labor day weekend was brilliant. It gives Snowshoe a real anchor to their shoulder season that makes everyone want to squeeze one more mountain weekend in before the fall foliage sets in. Bring your bike, pack a cooler and get ready for the Turnpike Troubadours and more to fill the mountains with music and good times.
About the Author
Rich Stoner is the founder of the après-ski lifestyle clothing and media brand, All About Après. He is also the co-host of the Après All Day Podcast. No stranger to the ski and après-ski scene, Rich has been a long time contributor for many publications on topics like skiing, travel, gear, beer and food. However, his passion is on the slopes and enjoying good times with good people. You can find him perfecting his craft carving turns and drinking beers in the Green Mountains of Vermont. @allaboutapres