The Walnut Valley Festival

It's either a testament to the spirit of the festival-goers or the ignorance of the festival organizers that many of the best performances at the annual Walnut Valley Festival are taking place inside the campgrounds. That's where the infamous Stage Five and the up-and-coming Stage Seven play host to fringe-favorite pickers such as Split Lip Rayfield, Truckstop Honeymoon, the Wilders, Jeff & Vida, Kasey Rausch, the DeWayn Brothers, Drakkar Sauna, Tiny Tuxedo and the Calamity Cubes. That's not to say there isn't high-quality entertainment being offered inside the gates, however. This year's highlights include the guitar antics of Beppe Gambetta, the old-timey stylings of the Wiyos and the acoustic folk-pop of the Greencards. The steelier Winfield veterans will likely invest $90 in a four-day pass to the festival, which begins at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Cowley County Fairgrounds in Winfield, Kansas. For those not quite as hardcore, day passes cost $35 through Saturday and $15 on Sunday.