Sven Blumquist

SHERMAN – A body found in the town of Sherman late Thursday has not been identified as of Friday night.

The body was found late Thursday night after police agencies spent a day searching the area in and around the Heron Farm and Event Center where the Great Blue Heron Music Festival is held each year. New York State Police at Jamestown confirmed early Friday morning only that a body was found. On Thursday, local K-9 units scoured various areas near the Blue Heron for any sign of Sven Blumquist, 23, of Conewango, Pa. In addition to the Conewango Township Police Department, the New York State Police, Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, state Forest Rangers and Julie and Steve Rockcastle, owners of the Heron Farm and Event Center were also assisting in the search.

While there is no official identification of the body found Thursday, Blumquist’s family and friends have been posting condolences on social media throughout the day Friday while Julie Rockcastle reached out to the newspaper on Friday afternoon to offer the center’s condolences to the Blumquist family. Rockcastle said she has been talking with members of Blumquist’s family and wants to find a way to honor Blumquist.

“All of us at the Blue Heron Music Festival are deeply saddened by the loss of Sven Blumquist,” Rockcastle said. “I didn’t know him personally but he seems like a really nice kid from a really wonderful family. We’ve never had an event like this happen in 27 years. Words can’t really express how terrible we feel about this and how we feel for the family. … We’re working with the family to find a way to honor him at the (Blue Heron) with a gathering or a memorial or something like that. He really loved it here. The family understood why when they came out here.”

Blumquist has been missing since early Sunday morning when he was last seen walking away from his campsite. Heather Burkett, Blumquist’s sister, said Thursday that her brother looked forward to the three-day festival known, for its rural location far from most amenities. The site is surrounded by heavily wooded areas marked by patches of open fields and small ponds. Three of Blumquist’s backpacks and his keys were recovered by friends at his campsite along with items he had purchased before attending the music festival.

“It was his favorite music festival. He wouldn’t miss it,” she said.