Dave Ghent interview with Todd Jones, organizer/producer of Dragonfly Music & Arts Fest September 26, 2009 Reading, PA - Todd Jones quotes indicated in quotation marks.

Last night I spoke with Todd Jones, the producer of Dragonfly Music & Arts Fest (Saturday, September 26). Thinking he might be busy putting out all kinds of last minute fires, I asked Todd how things were going. His answer gave insight to a key factor in any successful music festival. “I’m glad I already had every thing setup. I’m anal about planning and organizing. Things were done so far in advance I could’ve done [Dragonfly] weeks ago.” Todd booked I Yahn I Arkestra and Juggling Suns in December ’08. “If you want the bands you want to play, you have to do that. Summer festival season fills up so quick on a bands schedule.”

Todd has deep roots in live music and festivals. Starting in the early 80’s, Todd has taped 100’s of Dead shows. That’s where he met Ken Hays (of Terrapin Productions – Gathering of the Vibes) when Ken, a distributor for Maxell, supplied all the tapers with cases of Maxell cassette tapes. Todd is still an avid and active live music collector.

Todd became part of the modern day Festival scene in the late 80’s organizing local events with friends in bands, nothing fancy, smaller things at first. Todd’s roots grew deeper. He started  working with a crew on Gathering of the Vibes, A Bears Picnic and bunch of other fests after that and, “over time it grew into this. For three years I did Jerry Fest. Last year I backed out of it and this year someone else picked it up and I went on my own and did two other events – Jammin’ For the Animals at the end of July and Dragonfly Music & Arts Fest this coming weekend. They’ll both be annual events, around the same dates. You can’t beat this last week in September for a fest. It’s going to be gorgeous weather wise, it’s perfect. If you look at JamBase, they’re only two or three other festivals playing [this weekend] and they’re not even really close so they don’t draw from my pool of people in about a 100 mile radius.” Todd expects 500 to 1,000 people to attend Dragonfly.

July is a much busier time for a festival, no doubt. “July ran into [Gathering of] the Vibes and up against like five major evens that weekend. That’s a tough weekend. I might move it to the next weekend but then you fall into anniversary of Jerry Garcia weekend, 2 weekends in August. A lot of festivals [happen] then so they’re tough weekends as well. I’m just a small regional one trying to start out. It’s kind of rough when you’re battling some bigger ones.”

Todd created his first festival of ’09, Jammin’ for the Animals, as an annual benefit for the Humane Society of Berks County in memory of Todd’s brother, Bobby Jones, who loved all animals and was an avid supporter of the HSoBC, as well as the Animal Rescue League.

“Each Festival I do is about the community and kids. Both family-friendly festivals, they have tons of things to do for both kids and adults alike. It’s also taking care of the volunteers, the helpers and the bands. That’s what it’s about to me. I refuse to sell alcohol at a festival, that’s a whole other security and insurance issue, a whole other headache. Please, bring what you want, in cans.
It’s not about the greediness, padding my pockets with a lot of money, I’d much rather give back to the community as well as bring good, quality live music to the Reading area. We have the Brass Lantern (a landmark for live music) in Reading, PA, where my buddy books the bands, but that’s the only original music place in Reading, in Berks County pretty much. The rest are pushing top-40, you know, cover bands. It’s a tough area to break original music into.”

Q: For you, Todd, what makes a festival successful?

A: "Keeping it reasonably priced, not gouging and showing [attendees] a good, safe time. Everyone’s treated like I would like to be treated at a festival. I’ve been to too many [festivals] where you’re just a number. After they get your ticket, they could care less if you’re there. They gouge you every step along the way, whether is $6 for a bottle of water or $15 to park, you name it. I mean, kids under 10 free, $25 for a day like [Dragonfly], that’s more than enough. Kids have plenty to do, the family can enjoy the music, the workshops and activities. It’s all about making it a safe and enjoyable atmosphere. The most important thing is that I treat everybody like I would want to be treated at a festival."

Q: Though without description Dragonfly works for a festival name, how did you come to use it?
A: "We have a store, Dragonfly Studio and Galleries, in West Reading, PA. Dave’s the owner, my partner. I’m making them the host of the festival and I’m the organizer and promoter of everything. He wanted to run it with the Autumnal Equinox. That’s originally what we were going to name it; Dragonfly Autumnal Equinox Festival and just too many people couldn’t even pronounce it right. It seemed simpler to change it. Because it’s all about multi-arts. There are about two dozen activities that are all different kind of art going on. There’s yoga, if you want to learn to blow glass or tie-dye, twirl poi, live painting by a troupe of artists, juggling workshops and shows, eye candy all over."

Though Dragonfly is a one day event this year Todd has also included camping (Saturday night) as an option thereby expanding the experience past the normal start and end time of the music. “I don’t want people to, you know, have a good time all day and night then throw them in their cars and make them drive home. I’d never do that to my festival goers, put them in that predicament.” Todd expects 500-1000 people to participate in Dragonfly.

Q: What’s the location like?
A: “I have this whole waterfront property rented, this beautiful grove property, tree-lined on both sides, waterfalls, Blue Falls Grove campground. I could go up to Kempton [PA] where there is much bigger festivals, Some Kind of Jam, Phanphest and a few other ones, it’s only about 30 miles away. But then I gotta pull a few thousand people to make that place work. That’s the next step in my progression after, you know, if this [Jammin’ for the Animals and Dragonfly] does well.”

“Blue Falls Grove campground is run by a 70-year-old couple, real leery about overnight music festivals; they’ve been burned in the past. They absolutely fell in love with what I was doing two months ago (Jammin’ for the Animals) so they gave me full reign of what I want to do. They were impressed with how organized it is, security wise, the friendliness of the festival, the vending aspect, just how I handled everything, they just loved it. It’s private property and they’re really cool. The caretaker is a partier himself, so he’s not gonna be too quick to call the cops. You’re in a sunken grove, tree-lined and if you go up into the higher property you can’t even hear the music. Probably 40-50 acres, well secluded.”

“I’m thinking of making it two days next year. I had to go with the one day this year just to make sure I had all my i’s dotted and t’s crossed, because I knew I was under the microscope with what I was doing and it was important to make the first one[s] go really well, I treated the owners like gold and they were just overwhelmed. They love all the bands that played, they loved the food, loved the people and how they treated their property. The next day the owner drove around 7 am in a cart and he couldn’t find five pieces of trash on the ground.”

The first annual Dragonfly Music & Arts Fest happens on September 26, 2009 and features:

Cabinet 2:30-4pm Montana Slim String Band 4:30-6pm
Juggling Suns6:30-8pm I Yahn I Arkestra 8:30-10:30pm

Some of the art happenings include:
• Chinese Auction & Raffles • Tie-Dye workshop ($5/each incl. shirt)
• Juggling workshop by Reading Jugglers Club • Kids Pavilion activities galore
• Pottery workshop by Clayote (2-5pm) • 20 Food & Craft vendors
• Hula Hoop workshop • Live Painting by “Route 222 Crew

Late-night activities include campfire, acoustic jam & projection light show
• A Dunk Tank (weather permitting?) • Fire Dancing workshop & performances
• Disc Golf competition • Belly Dancing by Flavia de Paula
• Glassblowing demonstration by various artists • ‘Making hemp jewelry’ seminar
• Piercing & Tattooing seminars • Yoga Camp & Workshops (by the creek)
• Fire Dancing workshop & performances • Fishing (w/current PA license)
• Drum Circle/Workshop by Alive Drumming