We’ve told you about Cowpie Music Festival, but there are way more music fests on tap this weekend, from Kalamazoo to Sparta to Gaylord to New Buffalo. Check out the lineups and schedules at Local Spins.
Festival Mania: Kalamazoo’s Ribfest with Craig Morgan is just one of many Michigan music fests to relish this weekend. (Photo/Eric Stoike)
Craig Morgan (Photo/Eric Stoike)
In Kalamazoo, the offerings range from the country of Craig Morgan and Chase Bryant to the classic rock of Blue Oyster Cult to the punk, metal, hardcore and alt-rock of Beast in the Field, Bong Mountain and Cheap Girls.
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In Sparta, it’s all about Celtic love with the likes of Paddy’s Cure, An Dro, Peat in the Creel and The Saltbound.
To the north, just east of Gaylord, rootsy Michigan music is king with, well, Luke Winslow King, Peter Madcat Ruth, Stella!, The Red Sea Pedestrians, Blue Water Ramblers, The Wilson Brothers and many others.
And finally, heading to Michigan’s southern border, New Buffalo gets bluesy with Chicago Women in the Blues, Chicago Rhythm & Blues Kings, Hank Mowery and more.
Make your plans now with help — and schedules — from Local Spins. (And check out a story and schedule for this weekend’s Cowpie Music Festival in southern Kent County. Plus, get info about the Great Lakes Folk Festival in East Lansing on The Big List.)
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KALAMAZOO RIBFEST
As organizers put it, Kalamazoo Ribfest boasts “some of the best ribs in the world.”
Of course, this annual affair at Arcadia Creek Festival Place in downtown Kalamazoo also boasts a star-studded musical lineup with country star Chase Bryant headlining Thursday, classic rock’s Blue Oyster Cult on Friday and country artist Craig Morgan on Saturday with a host of regional acts in between, including Gunnar & The Grizzly Boys, Delilah DeWylde & The Lost Boys, Slim Gypsy Baggage and the Dani Jamerson Band.
The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Thursday and 11 a.m.-12:30 am. Friday and Saturday. Admission is free before 4 p.m., $10 after 4 p.m. for adults. Children 12 and younger are admitted free with an adult. VIP tickets (for premier seating) are $30 Thursday and $40 Friday and Saturday. Get details and tickets online here.
Some 30,000 people are expected for the event, which has been held annually in Kalamazoo for more than 20 years.
Get more information, directions and details online at kalamazooribfest.com. – John Sinkevics
FAT GUY FEST 2
Fat Guy Fest is coming, and no, it’s not another name for Pulaski Days.
(Actually, consider this an edgier, louder alternative to Ribfest above.)
Beast in the Field (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
The second annual four-day music festival, held at Shakespeare’s Lower Level in downtown Kalamazoo, is host to a huge lineup of heavy-hitting punk rock, hardcore, ska, alternative, metal, surf, sludge and indie bands, taking place Thursday through Sunday.
The festival features a slew of regional, national and international touring acts, with the majority hailing from Michigan.
Indeed, Fat Guy Fest will bring a hearty slice of Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo for the event, including upcoming Grand Rapids bands such as The Cardboard Swords, Dear Tracks, Bong Mountain and Third Coast.
Don’t let the name fool you: Fat Guy Fest is a hard rockin’ four-day event, full of animated bands and non-stop thrashing.
Day passes are $10 and weekend passes are $25, sold online here. Shakespeare’s Lower Level is located at 241 East Kalamazoo Ave. in Kalamazoo. Check out fatguyfest.com for more info. — Ethan Dombrowski
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SPARTA CELTIC FESTIVAL
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We’re less than halfway to St. Patrick’s Day, which makes this the perfect time to revive and embrace the Celtic spirit.
The Sparta Celtic Festival is back once again for its fifth anniversary with an entire day filled with celebration and community.
The Saturday event in Rogers Park celebrates the Celtic heritage with music, food, activities suitable for all ages, new attractions and a market of merchants focusing on Celtic culture.
Musical performances and dances by a heap of spectacular Celtic bands and dance troupes take place two stages, starting in late morning and running until the last band hits the main stage at 9 p.m.
More specifically, the festival showcases eight Celtic bands and five dance troupes, along with music sessions, dance instruction and “The Kilted Magician” that can be found on The Pub Stage.
Taking the new Celtic Heritage Trail into Balyeat field, attendees can also find the Celtic Tens Rugby Tournament, which is now a permanent addition to the festival. Other activities found around the park during the all-ages, free festival include The Kids’ Corner, a historical reenactment and a “highland games tournament.”
For more information and a printable map of the park, visit spartacelticfest.org. – Taylor Mansen
SHIP AND SHORE BLUES FESTIVAL
New Buffalo is a gem of a place on the Lake Michigan shoreline, perhaps more well-known to folks from Chicago and northern Indiana than those to the north in Michigan.
B.B. King Tribute: Shirley King, Liz Mandeville and Donna Herula perform on Saturday night.
But it’s certainly a destination for anyone hankering for blues music this weekend, with the Ship and Shore Blues Festival launching at Lions Beachfront Park on Saturday. (Actually, things kick off at 8 p.m. Friday with a free show at Frankie’s starring award-winning Grand Rapids singer-songwriter Karisa Wilson.)
Saturday’s entertainment kicks off at noon with the Precious Taylor Tribute to Koko Taylor (Precious Taylor is the legendary Koko Taylor’s niece), followed at 2 p.m. by Grand Rapids’ Hank Mowery & The Hawktones, at 4 p.m. by The Chicago Rhythm & Blues Kings, at 6 p.m. by Chicago Women in the Blues (who perform again at 9 p.m.) and at 7:30 p.m. with a tribute to the late B.B. King, starring his daughter, Shirley King and guitarists Liz Mandeville and Donna Herula.
The one-day festival is also touted as a “premium wine and craft beer” event which will also feature food trucks offering a wide variety of edibles. Tickets are $10 for those 21 and older, $5 for those 15 to 20, and free for those 14 and younger. Tickets will be available at the gate; more information online here.
Other festival activities include a video game truck, kids’ activities and a musical instrument “petting zoo.” – John Sinkevics
FARMFEST 2015
A “mooosical magical happening.”
Luke Winslow King (Photo/Local Spins)
That’s how Stacy Jo Schiller describes Farmfest, the musical gathering that takes place on her Home Comfort Farm in Johannesburg (east of Gaylord) every August. Based on this year’s lineup, which boasts nearly 50 Michigan-based acts, including Earthwork Music artists Seth & May and Stella!, it’s safe to say Schiller’s description is on the button.
The Farmfest venue sits on a 110-year-old, 40-acre homestead farm, which falls directly on the intersection of the 45th parallel and the Prime Meridian. Now in its 18th year, the four-day event described as “a music festival for musicians” boasts three full-size stages, the largest of which is nestled in a natural amphitheater at the bottom of a main hill that overlooks the grounds.
The lineup typically incorporates a variety of folk-spirited musicians, from traditional folk and bluegrass to more modern reggae and folk-rock. This year, the acts range from The Red Sea Pedestrians’ high-energy, rootsy take on world music to traditional blues/jazz guitarist Luke Winslow King, known for his slide guitar work. Even those looking to groove to a mix of pop, funk, R&B and Motown can satisfy their hunger through two appearances on Sunday by The Cookies.
Seth and May
Though the impressive musical lineup is surely what draws the 1,500 festivalgoers each year, the number of impromptu jam sessions and open mic performances are plentiful and something festival organizers encourage. Winding through the farmland’s wooded areas is a network of trails leading to the Drum Kiva, Fire Circle and the bulk of the rustic campsites – all of which are almost always buzzing with musical activity.
Beyond the abundance of tunes found at the festival there is another aspect that festival organizers pride themselves on – a tight-knit community made up of volunteers, vendors, fans, friends and family that has kept the annual gathering relaxed and intimate for nearly 20 years. – David Specht
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Copyright 2015, Spins on Music LLC
