You’ve been in a hot field all day with sun beating down, there’s no shade in sight and you’re at the point where you don’t know if you have a tan or you’re just caked in dust. If you happen to be at a music festival that features some sort of body of water, this part of the festival experience can be alleviated by jumping in the ocean or lake, or by heading off to the water park.
Going on its third year, Lockn’ will once again call Oak Ridge Estate in Arrington, VA, home for four days this month. The 5,000+ acre venue is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountain and the festival takes place within the grassy infield of the racetrack on the property. While the venue size is extensive, the property lacks a water feature for attendees to enjoy when the dust and heat become oppressive.
Fortunately, the congregation of the Trinity Episcopal Church, located just across the road from Oak Ridge Estate, were creative in organizing WaterLockn’ as a way for attendees to not only cool down and truly experience this area of Virginia, but also help support local and international charity work.
“When we first heard about Lockn’ coming to Oak Ridge, we had to decide as a congregation how we were going to react. We are a very small church in a county that has a very small population. A huge event like Lockn’ is a very different experience for most of us,” stated Jennifer Cumby, WaterLockn’ Coordinator. “Right away, we decided that we needed to openly embrace not only Lockn’ as a festival, but each and every festival goer in a loving way. We realized that for most festival-goers, Nelson County only really exists as some roadway and the festival grounds and we wanted to show people the beauty of the place we live and also, try to raise some money to help the people in this county and around the world who are in need.”
One of Trinity’s members came up with the idea to run trips to a private swimming hole on the Tye River. “It wasn’t long before the rest of us got behind it and just made it happen,” stated Cumby. “We work on WaterLockn’ for about six months out of the year. It’s a big investment of time and talent, but we are fortunate to have many, many creative, dedicated, and hard working community members who all come together to make WaterLockn’ happen.”
Trips to the swimming hole will run Friday-Sunday throughout the day, and will last about one hour total, with approximately 45 minutes of swim/bathing time. WaterLockn’ takes up to 50 people per trip with an average of 5-6 trips per day. The swimming hole is staffed with lifeguards and volunteers to make sure every attendee is well taken care of.
Out at the river, WaterLockn’ also provides Dr. Bronner’s soap. If you aren’t familiar with Dr. Bronner’s, this soap is organic, Fair Trade, biodegradable castile liquid and bar soaps. Because Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps products are organic and biodegradable, they can be used responsibly outdoors, with appropriate consideration for freshwater biomes and drinking water sources. “Since it is a natural waterway, we ask that people use the soap we provide to better protect our waterways,” Cumby said.
These trips out to the river will cost $20/person and all proceeds will support local charities and Haitian outreach. Last year, WaterLockn’ was able to donate about $3,000 to charity.
“Last year, a portion of the proceeds went to establish a well in Haiti to provide fresh, clean drinking water and water for agricultural purposes,” stated Cumby. “Trinity also supports Nelson County Kid Care, which is a supplemental nutrition program for ‘food insecure’ children in Nelson County. The program provides non-perishable food items, distributed through the school system, to children to help feed them over weekends and breaks throughout the school year. Many Trinity members are deeply involved in this program, serving on boards and committees, fundraising, and packing the weekly allotments of food items. It costs roughly $200/year to provide food for one child through this program that is funded completely through donations and grants and is run by volunteers.”
This year WaterLockn’ will be donating to the Virginia Haiti Collaborative, as well as the Nelson County Kid Care. The Virginia Haiti Collaborative is a collection of churches, schools, and individuals affiliated with the Episcopal Church who partner with St. Marc’s Primary School in Cerca-La-Source, Haiti, to improve education throughout Haiti. “A significant portion of this year’s WaterLockn’ proceeds will be used to train Haitian teachers in Haiti to help them establish an education framework that will benefit all of the children in that country, Cumby said. “Haiti is very close to the hearts of all of us at Trinity Episcopal Church. Many of our members have traveled there to help build schools and work with the Haitian people to improve their quality of life.”
Donations from this year’s WaterLockn’ to the Nelson County Kid Care will continue to help provide food to struggling families to help local children stay nourished over the weekend. Research has shown a direct correlation between hunger and poor school performance. “This program makes a big difference in the lives of those who participate in it. That difference is noticed in the classroom, making educating Nelson County kids easier and helping them be more successful in the short and long term,” shared Cumby. “WaterLockn’ helps us raise more money to help more people than we could ever raise on our own. We are very grateful for the opportunity to do so much good while helping people have so much fun.”
Please Note!
As Vinyl witnessed last year, slots for WaterLockn’ trips fill up extremely fast! Trinity will have a table in the main festival area and registration for the trips will start as soon as the festival grounds open on Thursday. Last year, many trips sold out a day in advance, so it is suggested that if you know you want to go, come stop by the WaterLockn’ table first thing and get your trip locked in.
Travel out to the river will be in 12-passenger vans, so there will not be a lot of room for anything that cannot fit on your lap.
Coolers, glass, and alcohol are not allowed.
Individuals who will be bringing their children should bring a car or booster seat for that child. Children who are not properly secured in an appropriate safety seat will not be allowed to ride in the van.
For all updates, follow WaterLockn’ on Twitter and Facebook!
It all started when a much younger Jackie dove into her parents’ record collection, grabbed that trippy Magical Mystery Tour album, and played “Strawberry Fields” over and over again until it was engrained into her soul. She grew up on the dreams and stories of Simon and Garfunkel, “Bleeker Street” being one of her favorites, the seduction of The Doors, Van Morrison, because “Brown Eyed Girl” is definitely her song, and the likes of Jefferson Airplane, The Who, Jimi Hendrix…you get the picture. It may not show on the outside, but Jackie has a hippie heart, and that reflects in her musical tastes today. While some of her favorites may or may not be jam bands, her taste in music feeds into many genres. From alternative, Brit, and indie rock - OK, maybe all rock - to pop, to rap, to electronic, she loves it all. As a northerner, she thought she would never understand country until she found herself on a Georgia farm in cowboy boots watching Luke Bryan shake it for her- yeah, she got that. She is a chronic wanderluster, she doesn't believe in guilty pleasures, enjoys a great Moscow Mule, and is an absolute music festival fanatic- you’ll find her wherever the music takes her.