The Virginia Arts Festival announced the partial lineup for Bruce Hornsby’s Funhouse Fest, which returns for a third year in Colonial Williamsburg June 22-23.
Alison Krauss, the country musician known for songs such as “Whiskey Lullaby” and “When You Say Nothing at All,” joins the festival for the first time. The 27-time Grammy winner will perform the first day in addition to the return of Hornsby and the Noisemakers.
“I’m a huge fan of Alison Krauss, so we’re really excited that she’s going to be the headliner Friday night,” said VAF Executive Director Rob Cross, emphasizing her wide appeal across different age groups. “It just continues to show the breadth of Bruce’s musical interests and the collaborations that he’s had over the years. I think this will continue to help us grow the attendance.”
On the second day, Hornsby will perform alongside the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. The Wood Brothers, a folk trio from Nashville gearing up to release their sixth album in February, will also make their Funhouse debut.
“There’s an interesting aesthetic there,” Cross said of the genre-spanning lineup.
The VAF plans to announce the rest of the line up around mid-March. The event will also feature expanded food, craft beer and wine offerings.
The 2018 festival spans two days, whereas the first two installments each ran for three days. Cross said this was driven by lower Sunday ticket sales in previous years, and the change allows for more music on Saturday.
“We just found that people were wanting to get back home by Sunday,” he said. “We felt that we could further capitalize on the success we had on Friday and Saturday.”
Between the diverse array of artists and the unique venue on the lawn of the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, Cross said Funhouse Fest stands out from other music festivals.
“It’s kind of intimate for being a big, outdoor venue,” he said. “It’s very, very audience friendly.”
Funhouse Fest runs June 22-23. Pre-sale tickets are available now; single-day passes start at $39.25 and two-day passes start at $74.50. Gold Elite and Gold VIP options are also available. Tickets officially go on sale 10 a.m. Friday. For tickets and more information, visit funhousefest.com.
