Josh Raynor and Kayla Bridgers have been very busy getting things organized for this year’s Jamboree. At the threat of rain, Bridgers said, “Why, it never rains at Lu Mil” - except for that little sprinkle that keeps the dust and pollen at bay.
Mark DeLap | Bladen Journal
FIFTH-ANNUAL OUTDOOR FESTIVAL
Lu Mil hosted its fifth annual Jamboree and packed the grounds with young, old, singers, dancers, observers and ice cream aficionados. Many packed the outdoor amphitheater and amidst a sprinkling of rain for about 20 minutes, it dissipated but the crowds didn’t.
Mark DeLap | Bladen Journal
It didn’t matter what your age was or what your gender was, once the flash mob line dance teams from all over North Carolina got on the grass dance floor, it was contagious and the crowd emptied their seats and came to participate. Jumping, kicking, twisting, shouting, singing along with the bands were all acceptable behavior at the Lu Mil Jamboree Saturday.
Mark DeLap | Bladen Journal
The owners of Lu Mil - Denise Bridgers and Ron Taylor who put together and incredible free event for the spectators. Lu Mil held their fifth-annual Jamboree and the crowds were some of the biggest they’ve experienced.
Mark DeLap | Bladen Journal
Rivermist - a band from Fayetteville had the grass dance floor rockin’ and singing and line dancing and generally having a blast. The band is a crowd favorite in the Carolinas and they play between 80-120 shows per year.
Mark DeLap | Bladen Journal
DUBLIN – There is always something going on at Lu Mil Vineyard. From months of Christmas tree lights to the fall North Carolina Grape Festival to just last month where 550 runners came in to run in the “Run, Sip and Savor” wine 5K at 438 Suggs Taylor Road in Dublin, North Carolina.
Last Saturday was the eagerly anticipated May Jamboree at Lu Mil. With more food that you could eat in a lifetime and a variety much like a carnival food corridor, there was a lot of calories to “sweat off” on the grass dance floor that sits at the bottom of the outdoor amphitheater directly in front of the stage.
Although the event didn’t officially start until 2 p.m. there were plenty of cars driving in to get a good parking spot well before the official opening. Perhaps a few glasses of home-grown wine as they waited.
Denise Bridgers and Ron Taylor, owners of Lu Mil are very community oriented and when it comes to this day, their vineyard gives back to the community by way of a free event. With three bands playing throughout the day, unlimited food and smooth wine – Saturday was a time to kick back or get out on the dance floor and kick out the jams. It’s a time for family. It’s a time to forget the rest of the world and its agenda – at least for a few hours. It truly is sampling the goodness of Bladen County at its finest.
The first band to take the stage was relatively a new band, Loose Floorboards – with a mix of funk and rock warmed the crowd up right away with LOUD, LOUD and LOUDER. The hills of surrounding the amphitheater began to fill up as the second band performing at Lu Mil for the first time, Crenshaw Trucking Band (CTB) took the stage after a “between bands performance” by Miss North Carolina hopeful Hailey Hudson. Hudson is a graduate of East Bladen High School, a graduate of the University of North Carolina and is now pursuing her law degree in Chapel Hill.
By 4:30 a group of people decked out in pink shirts that said, “Peace, Love, Line Dance” were forming and dancing on the hill overlooking the band stage. And they started to dance. Like they were serious about making a run on the stage.
Before CTB was finished with their last song, the pink flash mob had descended and began to line dance. During the setup of the final band, Rivermist Band, they danced some more. It was contagious and by the first song done by Rivermist, they had completely taken over the infield. People that weren’t even in the line dancing groups began to flood into the mob. Old, young, all generations and genders were represented and what was amazing was that they all knew the routines.
A little more wine… another trip to the food trucks… and they were back for more during the last three hours of the jamboree.
It really was a festival for families and community to come together. In a time when the nation is in a panic over protests, infighting and politics, it was a safe place to come and simply fellowship with those around you who appreciated good music, activities for the kids which included collard greens, pizza, hamburgers, slushies, ice cream and bouncy houses and of course, for the adults, the thing that Lu Mil is best known for, it’s Muscadine wine.
It’s a festival that had a little bit of everything including fishing in the designated fishing ponds on the back of the property. It was like going to grandma’s Sunday afternoon – only with bands and 2,000 people. People were encouraged to bring their tents, their coolers and picnic lunches or choose between all the different food trucks that had everything from barbecue to chicken and waffles.
“This is our fifth year,” Kayla Bridgers said. “We started it back when COVID was in full swing, so we couldn’t do anything inside. Daryl Davis or as everybody calls him, ‘Double-D’ is one of our friends and he would have something like this in his backyard. He got to talking with Ron, (Taylor) one of the owners and Ron said, ‘well, why don’t you come and play at our amphitheater,’ and we’ll get some local bands to come.”
“For the first year, we had around seven people,” Bridgers said. “By the next year it grew and then people started contacting me to come out and set up food trucks and things like that. Daryl actually still helps by getting onstage and introducing the bands.”
“Well, before we did the backyard thing, we actually started in my living room,” Davis said. “I was having to move it outside due to COVID about four years ago and Ron (Taylor) heard about it on Facebook and we got together. He lined up the food and I lined up the music we’ve been doing it here ever since.”
The day did see a bit of rain, but most people just figured it was to calm down the dust being kicked up from the dance floor.
“We had a little rain; maybe 20 minutes and then… it stopped.” Bridgers said with a big smile on her face. “And now… we have a nice breeze. I think the best part of this is that there is something for everyone to do. We have face painting for the kids, bounce houses, ice cream and slushies and wine.”
It has really evolved from Davis’ living room and has become a premiere and beloved festival known throughout the state for all it has to offer.