Erin and Ben Napier, hosts of HGTV’s Home Town, today announced the inaugural Old School Festival event to be held at the Laurel Mercantile Co. & Scotsman General Store.

The event is part of the Napier’s Old School Parents Raising Engaged Youth (Osprey) grassroots initiative dedicated to helping kids achieve social media -free childhoods until they graduate high school.

“Research tells us social media is as addictive and destructive for developing brains as any drug. We launched Osprey last August as a national effort to give our kids the biggest possible network of friends by creating a family and home culture focused on real-world engagement,” said Erin Napier. “Through Osprey, we’re working to foster an environment for kids to be social – without social media.”

This event is sponsored by C-Spire, which has recently launched Connect and Protect, a new wireless initiative focused on innovative ways to keep families safely connected by offering services that help protect children by offering phone plans without internet access and parental controls. The Old School Festival will take place March 9, 2024. Beginning at 9 a.m., the all-day event is designed for both adults and children and will feature expert presentations on raising engaged, creative low-tech kids in the social media age.
The agenda features Osprey co-founders Erin and Ben Napier and Dr. Catherine and Taylor Sledge, expert panelists on children’s brain psychiatry and adolescent development, live music, and workshops for kids including woodworking with Ben Napier, gardening with Emily Grohovsky, art with Adam Trest and music with Thomas Steinwinder.

“As a parent, I know one thing: my kids can thrive without social media, especially while they’re young and vulnerable,” explained Dr. Sledge. “But we don’t just want to keep young kids away from something; we want to encourage them toward a simpler childhood that’s full of joy and free of the dangers of social media. Events like the Old School Festival do just that by helping like minded kids and families find each other and build a stronger low-tech community.”

Ticket holders are invited to bring lawn chairs or blankets for the whole family and enjoy this fun and informative event. Tickets range between $10-$20 (general admission tickets include a Chic-Fil-A catered box lunch), and all sales will cover meal costs and fundraising for Osprey, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 

About Osprey
Osprey was co-founded by HGTV Home Town hosts Erin and Ben Napier of Laurel, and their college friends, Dr. Catherine and Taylor Sledge of Jackson. As parents of young children, both couples became increasingly concerned about the impact of social media on a child’s social and emotional well-being. Osprey is designed to challenge the culture of “everyone has it except my child” by connecting like-minded parents, caregivers, and communities who are committed to building a social media-free family and home environment until children are mature enough to handle it.