The Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival in Martinsville, Virginia, was created in memory of two close childhood friends who passed away in their mid-20s - Edwin "the Rooster" Penn and Walker Shank. Both were Martinsville natives, Martinsville High School graduates and lovers of live music and the great outdoors. Proceeds from this volunteer-led festival go to the Penn-Shank Memorial Scholarship at Martinsville High School.

Last year, Rooster Walk 3 saw more than 2,000 people in attendance, and this year they’ve added music on Sunday for the first time. Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine named Rooster one of the Southeast's Top 100 events in 2012. Recently, Southern Living magazine highlighted Rooster Walk as one of Virginia’s top three events for the month of May. Rooster Walk 4 will take place Memorial Day weekend, May 24-27, at Blue Mountain Festival Grounds with over 30 bands. You’ll hear rock, funk, bluegrass, Americana, jazz, country, steel drums and more. The festival kicks off Thursday night with Gary Sinise and the Lieutenant Dan Band at 7pm.