08/01/2026
I cannot believe it is true! But it is. First commenter gets 2 free tickets to SnareFest 2026 Featuring our headliner and #1 Billboard Country hit-maker Buddy Jewell September 26th! After working everyday, most of the Summer (and all my life) towards it, I am hosting and playing my own Country, Folk and Roots Music Festival at my farm in beautiful Buchanan, Virginia, the gateway to the gorgeous Shenandoah Valley. I plan to have many more, with other notable artists of diverse genres in the future.
I finally just received my event permit approval from Botetourt County and our board of supervisors earlier today. Thank you Botetourt! For supporting Agritourism and my dreams. I love living, raising my family and doing business here. There is no better place in my opinion. Buchanan, Virginia…where you can actually live out your dreams, if you work hard enough! Surrounded by breathtaking scenery. Did you know the first big music festival was held in Botetourt County, Virginia In the 60’s?
It was a bluegrass festival featuring Bill Monroe and all the famous bluegrass artists of the time. Even Woodstock modeled themselves after the event, I have heard. I found that interesting!
I designed and built the stage, sound system and all, with the help of my hardworking sons. I only shot myself with the nail gun one time! Hahaha Man, did it hurt, but the swelling has gone down and I can play instruments again. Every time I became disheartened, overheated, exhausted and frustrated when working on it, I’d just say to myself, “If you build it, they will come”. I hope that’s right! As my brothers and I loved Field of Dreams as kids. In fact, as an ode, our main stage is called “The Dream Field Stage”.
Here is a video introducing our festival and stage, featuring my beautiful family. Noah, Adeline and Maddy on vocals, Kate on egg shaker and vocals, Elizabeth on drums, Knox on guitar and Vocals and Luke on the handcrafted dobro! They did an awesome job. I love this song and this is my favorite video I’ve ever made or seen. Knox and Luke did the editing and put the video together and I just love the final cut. I hope y’all do too! I used my mother in law’s painting of my barn for the logo and that turned out nicely!
We’ll have food trucks, vendors (please contact me if you’d like a vendor spot), lots of great live music, bouncy houses and amusements and more! Tickets can be purchased at buddyjewell.com or matthewsnare.com if you enter promo code Snare20 you’ll get 20% off! If you’d really love to bring your family, and cannot afford to do so, please direct message me and tell me your situation and I’ll consider giving your family tickets.
Of course I have invested a lot of my own resources and labor into the festival, so if you can afford to buy tickets, please do. I know a lot of families and people are having a tough time right now, and we all need some recreation and reprieve. For that reason, tickets are only 20.00. Buddy Jewell has also graciously agreed to do a meet and greet with each and every ticket holder! In addition to Buddy Jewell, we’ll have music from Jabes Perez, Tommy Nunley, Dee Ann Tickner, The Straw Hats, Lydia Martin, Mike Lee and Friends, Amanda Bocchi and my kids and I.
I hope you’ll bring your family on out for a full day of fun, music and breathtaking Mountain Views. 1 night primitive camping available…I’ll see y’all there!!!! ***Also, I’ll be playing live from 6-9pm this Saturday August 1st in downtown Gatlinburg, Tn at Sugarland Distillery! Then, I head to Richland, Washington (the furthest from home my music has ever taken me) to play Tumbleweed Music Festival’s 30th Anniversary! I hope you’ll stop on in if you’re in the area hunting live music. I am humbled and honored. I so much appreciate everyone who has supported and encouraged my music over the years. Thank you
