Born Out Of Phuzz Phest, New Pine State Holiday Music Festival Debuts In Winston-Salem

New, and different - those are the guiding principles behind Pine State Holiday Music Festival. It comes from the same team that ran the Phuzz Phest music festival in downtown Winston-Salem for six years.

Contained to one day and one venue, it's less sprawling than your usual music fest. The whole thing will be on the campus of Southeastern Center For Contemporary Art (SECCA) in Winston-Salem.

According to director Philip Pledger, this presents a new set of challenges, from having enough non-musical activities to keep concertgoers engaged all day, to erecting multiple stages.

“Ultimately we felt like it was worth it, to go for it, and try to have an outdoor experience," Pledger says. "Just because it's so serene out there, it kinda feels like you're off the grid a little bit. We're hoping people will just get lost for a day and enjoy some music.”

The headlining band is Washed Out, who gained a large audience after their song “Feel It All Around” was used as the theme song to the sketch comedy show Portlandia. Ten other national and North Carolina based acts round out the bill including Spider Bags, Foxture, Ducktails, and Reese McHenry & The Fox.