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Gov. Warner enjoys the food during his stop at FloydFest.

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Mark Warner visits FloydFest

Special to the Press
by Colleen Redman

Former Democratic Governor Mark Warner, who is currently running for a seat in U.S. Senate, ended a regional campaign loop on Thursday with a stop at FloydFest.  Warner spoke briefly from the music festival’s main stage, introducing himself to the crowd and encouraging everyone to have a good time.  He was accompanied around the 80-acre site that borders the Blue Ridge Parkway by several members of his staff, FloydFest Marketing Director Linda DeVito, and Floyd County Sheriff Shannon Zeman.  DeVito and Zeman worked together to bring Warner to FloydFest, DeVito said. 

Wearing a FloydFest “Family Affair” T-shirt, Governor Warner enjoyed a plate of food in the festival’s hospitality tent, where he chatted with festival staff.  Later he walked through the crowd talking to festival goers and shaking their hands. He joked that campaigning all day was just an excuse to end up at FloydFest. 

Warner isn’t new to Floyd.  This past November when Governor Tim Kaine was running for office, Warner and Kaine picked up some stringed instruments and joined the Jugbusters on the Floyd Country Store Jamboree stage.  Warner accompanied Senator Jim Webb on a visit to the Floyd Country Store when Webb was running for the U.S. Senate.  In 2005 Warner was the first sitting governor to hold a town meeting in Floyd.