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New Mobile App Will Help Fans Prepare for MerleFest 2013Available after March 25, the free app - along with the MerleFest.org website – offers schedules and information that lets fans custom-design their festival experience. With the introduction of a free new mobile app, MerleFest - presented by Lowe’s and slated for April 25-28, 2013 – just got even easier to plan. The MerleFest mobile app will be available for download on March 25; as of that date, a link is available at www.merlefest.org that goes directly to the app store.
The app, being offered at no charge to users, will provide the MerleFest lineup and schedule, artist biographies, map, announcements, social media links and more. The app is compatible with Android and iOS platforms.
The MerleFest app was designed especially for the four-day event, an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans that will once again take place on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
"MerleFest established this app to provide a better customer experience," said Ted Hagaman, festival director. "Our hope is that the app will offer an easy way for festival goers to have immediate access to schedules and artist information without having to carry a program with them."
A bonus for MerleFest fans: once downloaded, the app will be fully functional without having connection to phone service.
"MerleFest fans are encouraged to download the app before the festival for a couple of reasons,” explained Hagaman. "Downloading the app ahead of the festival will allow fans time to use the lineup, schedule and artist biographies to plan their itinerary for the event. With more than 90 artists performing on 14 stages, it is impossible to see all there is to see. We recommend our guests do some homework ahead of time so they catch all of their 'must see' performances."
“Another reason is when so many people are trying to work off the same cell phone towers, service can sometimes be spotty or overloaded during the festival. By downloading the app prior to the festival, users will be able to use the app during the festival at any time or location onsite.”
This year fans can even plan their festival meals in advance. On the MerleFest website - in the “Vendor” section under "food menus" - music fans can preview their many food options onsite, ranging from deep fried pickles to a rice and grilled veggie plate, from chopped barbeque to tofu. The WCC Culinary Arts department’s food booths – some of the most popular at MerleFest – features such diverse fare as shrimp and grits, red velvet cupcakes and vegetarian red beans and rice.
In fact, a few clicks on the festival’s official website will yield a wealth of other details. Wondering about parking, festival hours and where to check a cooler or backpack? Details like that can be found under the “Information” section of the site. Need directions? Click on “Getting There” to map out a trip right to the festival site. The “History” tab will allow festival attendees to learn a little bit more about MerleFest, and – of course – the “Lineup/Schedules” tab will allow a fan to plan their MerleFest experience by day, by artist, or even by stage.
Additionally, there are Wi-Fi hotspots around the campus and inside the buildings that are open during MerleFest.
Tickets for MerleFest 2013 can be purchased at www.merlefest.org or by calling 1-800-343-7857. Additional details about this year’s festival lineup and other MerleFest information can also be found at the website.
MerleFest, considered one of the premier music festivals in the country, is an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans held on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of the late Eddy Merle Watson, son of American music legend Doc Watson who passed away May 29, 2012. MerleFest is a celebration of “traditional plus” music, a unique mix of music based on the traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including bluegrass and old-time music, and expanded to include Americana, country, blues, rock and many other styles. The festival hosts over 90 artists, performing on 14 stages during the course of the four-day event. The annual event has become the primary fundraiser for the WCC Endowment Corporation, funding scholarships, capital projects and other educational needs.