Ramp Festival at Whitetop, Virginia

By Gaye Daughtery © 1985

Issue: May, 1985

All of you brave-hearted souls, go ahead and mark May 19th [1985] on your calendar. That's the day that the Mount Rogers Fire Department and Rescue Squad at Whitetop, Virginia are sponsoring a Ramp Festival.

What are ramps? Do you like onions? Garlic? If so, you'll probably love ramps. They're in the same category and grow wild for the picking in our Blue Ridge Mountains.

The festival at Whitetop will begin at 11:00 am at the Fire Department and all the work of tramping over the countryside and digging up the ramps will have already been done for you. You can come hungry and just enjoy.

There will be barbequed chicken and fried potatoes (with and without ramps cooked with them) cooked outdoors.

All afternoon, there will be live bluegrass music being made outdoors (weather permitting), for your enjoyment. Records and tapes of the music from last year's festival will be available for sale, as well as T-shirts, sweatshirts, caps and 100% pure maple syrup made also at Whitetop

There will be games for the children and probably pony rides too.

The highlight of the day will be a raw ramp eating contest, with categories for both adult and children. The winners will be given a prize of cash money plus a bottle of mouthwash.

The proceeds from the festival will be used for equipment for the Fire Department and Rescue" Squad, a most worthwhile cause. For more information, call Gaye Daughtery at 703-388-3242.