As a traveling banjo salesman, I find that personal contact with players is the best way to get my message across. (That is that Nechville instruments are engineered for better and more comfortable performance.) So rather than soliciting music store owners, I go to acoustic music festivals where there are plenty banjo players to take notice of my wares.

I have been a sponsor at many major festivals in the US and Europe, and along with sponsorship comes back stage access, meals and sometimes accommodations. (Like maybe a camping permit) This last Memorial day weekend, I went to Strawberry Music fest near Yosemite park for the first time. It is a combination of Bluegrass and Newgrass, Folk and Americana. A little like the famous Telluride Festival, But I don't think as big. The Strawberry camaraderie was noticeably present and newcomers like myself caught the Festivarian spirit quickly.

My intro to Strawberry was made possible by Dana Thorin and the Music Caravan. Dana invited me to be a part of her traveling music store, so she could expand her offerings and give me a chance to try a big California festival. The weather turned cold and rainy, and that kept people out of a buying mood, but I managed to make some friends and do lots of picking, I used fingerless gloves, and wore my biggest down jacket all weekend, It even snowed. I took part in a band scramble,  and pretty much didn't worry that I wasn't selling anything, Dana's friend cooked and I didn't have to lift a finger all weekend. Luckily there was one nice sale that resulted.  So that's the story from lake Banjobegon.