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The five-day festival kicked off Wednesday. FloydFest Aurora features a lineup of 100 artists performing across seven stages, a variety of “outdoor adventure� opportunities, morning yoga, nightly silent discos and dedicated activities and workshops for children. There’s a disc golf course on-site, and a number of trails and pathways for hiking.

For Claire and Mark Evans of Urbanna, FloydFest is their “happy place.� They’ve been to a lot of music festivals, but none are quite like FloydFest, Claire Evans said.

The Evans have been coming to FloydFest for around 15 years, and have been bringing their children with them since they were 2 and 7. They appreciate how the festival “goes out of its way� to create a safe and friendly environment for kids. Their sons, now pretty much grown, still come to the festival and camp with them each year. It’s like their family vacation, Claire Evans said.

“You don’t get to do that with your young adults and teenagers very much, but they still indulge me and come here,� she said. “They still love coming here.�

Claire Evans doesn’t come to listen to bands she knows — it’s more about the festival’s vibe and the people that she meets with her family while she’s there. She often leaves as a fan of a band she’d never really heard of prior to FloydFest.

“It’s about the people as much as it is the bands,� she said. “It’s about discovering the artists that you then absolutely love.�

The new site is a bit bittersweet for the Evans. While they miss the old site in Patrick County, they love the new FestivalPark.

“It was a little bit of a rough start last year,� she said. “There were some growing pains, but … we could see the potential in it when we came here.�

“It’s amazing to be out here,� she added. “It’s a beautiful, beautiful place. It’s my favorite place.�

Last year, during the festival’s first run at its new home, a former farm in Check, things got a little muddy. Wednesday and Thursday this year saw clear skies, though, with a promising — albeit hot — forecast heading into the festival weekend.

But FestivalPark has changed a lot in the last year. Seeing the mud and standing water created by last year’s rain, FloydFest worked to improve drainage across the 200-acre outdoor adventure festival site. Guided by survey responses from patrons of FloydFest 2024 Horizon, the festival also focused on expanding its tram system and lessening the distance between patrons and performers on the main stage, Sam Calhoun, FloydFest’s chief operating officer, said in an interview in early July.

Others, like Dan Durantaye, also have some nostalgia for the old site, but are otherwise digging the place in Check. Durantaye has come to FloydFest as a vendor for around 15 years. Based out of Ellicott City, Maryland, Durantaye sells hats through Sunflower Trading Co. and their brand, One Fresh Hat.

“It’s gorgeous here,� he said of the new site. “The infrastructure and the work they put into this is amazing.�

The festival is a good way to merge work and fun, he said. He also doesn’t necessarily come for the music, though he always learns about new music at the festival, he said.

“I think my favorite part is seeing old friends and people that I’ve seen over the 15-plus years we’ve been here, and just kind of reconnecting with them for a week, and then not seeing them again until next year,� he said. “But it’s like nothing’s changed.�

There were some first-time FloydFest attendees this year, too. Haley Thomas, social media manager for Devil’s Backbone Brewing Co., came for work, but said that she’ll certainly be coming back in the future. She couldn’t believe how high the energy was on Thursday, she said.

“The energy is so strong right now that I’m just excited for that to grow,� she said.

Devil’s Backbone is giving out free samples and merch at 4 p.m. each day during the festival, and they’re hosting tie dye events on Friday and Saturday at noon. Their Orange Smash cocktail and Tide Line Tea have been popular so far due to the heat, Thomas said.

For some artists, it was also their first time at FloydFest. made their FloydFest debut on Thursday. The band has played at other festivals, like Bristol Rhythm & Roots, Iron Blossom in Richmond and Boston Calling, but they were excited about their set at FloydFest on Thursday.

“I’ve never heard a bad review of FloydFest,� Holy Roller lead singer Brady Heck said. “Everybody that I know that goes to it compares it to, like, some religious experience, so we’re really excited to go see what all the hype is about.�

Holy Roller tends to draw in a diverse crowd, Heck said. Watching a crowd of strangers come together and enjoy their music is why they do what they do, he said. He described their shows as being more like family reunions than concerts — which is also how Calhoun has described FloydFest.

“We’re really excited to come out and do this,� he said. “It’s like a Virginia music milestone when you finally get to do FloydFest.�