The rootsy August festival returns to Shagbark Farm in southern Kent County with a ‘Stampede Mud Run,’ too. Check out the Michigan band lineup and details.
Boasting its usual eclectic lineup of regional acts, the 2015 Cowpie Music Festival will bring The Macpodz, Rootstand, The Legal Immigrants, Afro Zuma, The Mainstays, Big Dudee Roo and more to Shagbark Farm in August.
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Farm owner John Crissman, aka Farmer John, will host the 13th edition of the Cowpie Music Festival on Aug. 7-8 after a successful 2014 event where acts contributed their time and energy to help the festival get back on its feet after taking 2013 off.
“We’re ready to go,” said Crissman, noting the lineup will include most “of the folks who played last year for free and are getting paid this year as a thank you for helping out.”
Also on this year’s bill will be Chuck Whiting & The Tip Rail Ramblers, Moxieville, Jimmie Stagger, Hula Dogs, Jenny LaJoye, Tony LaJoye, Fly Paper, Rochelle & The Spoilers, Grand River Big Band, Luke Warm & The Not So Hots and Guinness Brothers. Another big name could turn up, too.
“We may be adding a few more bands, but this is the bulk of it,” said Tony LaJoye, who helps book acts for the festival that takes place on the Alaska cattle farm near Caledonia.
Like last year, there will be no advance ticket sales for this year’s two-day festival. Attendees will pay the same $30 entry fee at the gate that Cowpie charged in 2014.
This year’s festival will include a 5k footrace on Saturday dubbed the Stampede Mud Run which will offer an “added dimension and added fun” to the event, taking competitors “through the woods and swamp and mud and hills and obstacles.” Admission will be the same $30 entry fee for the festival.
With costs reduced, Crissman said the pared-down 2014 festival – which once booked a few national acts – proved to be “doable,” meaning some bigger names could be booked in the future.
“This year, with people knowing it’s back, it will hopefully end up in the black,” he told Local Spins.
Check out highlights/photos from last year’s Cowpie festival in this Local Spins review and photo gallery.
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