For the 11th year, this mid-Michigan festival will unfurl on a working organic vegetable farm with weekend sets by Breathe Owl Breathe, The Whiskey Charmers, Appleseed Collective and other regional acts.
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Hidden among the backroads and byways of Brooklyn, Mich., a vibrant, three-day celebration of music, creativity and free expression known endearingly as Holler Fest will return for its 11th year.
Since its beginnings in 2006, the festival has grown substantially — through little more than word of mouth and social media — drawing performers, attendees and vendors from all over the state.
This weekend, Holler Fest returns once again to its longtime home at Frog Holler Farm, a sprawling organic vegetable farm surrounded by acres of untouched country.
“What makes Holler Fest kind of unique I think is that it truly is just a huge party at our home,” said Billy King, longtime organizer of the festival and co-owner of Frog Holler Farm. “Even though it has all the elements of a sizable music fest it still has that friendly, personal feel.”
The festival runs from Friday through Sunday afternoon. Gates open at 3 p.m. on Friday.
This year’s performers include Breathe Owl Breathe, The Whiskey Charmers, Appleseed Collective, Cold Tone Harvest, Gifts or Creatures, Barbarossa Brothers, Seth Bernard, Jack & The Bear, Rollie Tussing & The Midwest Territory Band and many others. (See the full schedule below.)
The staggering lineup will be spread across four unique stages: Holler Stage, Second Holler, The Cabin and The Treehouse.
WORKSHOPS, HOME-COOKED MEALS AND UPGRADES FOR 2017
Weekend tickets range from $30 to $60 , with day passes costing $10 to $30. Children under 12 are free. Camping is included with any weekend pass. For more ticket information and festival details, visit hollerfest.com.
This year, organizers made a handful of small improvements to the festival grounds in preparation for yet another leap in attendance.
“The extra planning this year was just to try to be proactive in dealing with potential issues as the fest grows. We have had no issues and want to try to keep it that way,” King said, noting that the festival has been working with the health department and county to assure everything is in order.
“No huge changes, but we have upgraded some infrastructure with permanent power and a new well. We’re looking forward to hopefully improving everyone’s experience in little ways every year.”
Once again, a bevy of workshops will accompany the many musical festivities. This year’s scheduled workshops and activities include Handcrafting Skill Share, T’ai Chi, Morning Yoga Flow, Gong Meditation, Hoop Dance, Play the Bones, Nature Walk, Yurt Talk, Inspirations in Nature and Clogging, among others.
Also returning is the festival’s renowned home-cooked meals, served three times a day in hearty proportions. The vegan/vegetarian fare (made primarily from produce grown on the farm) has become a comfort food for annual attendees.
In addition to the “Holler Kitchen,” the festival boasts a number of local vendors, including Silvio’s Organic Pizza, Pilar’s Tamales and Peachy Keen’s Simply Coconut.
“We get lots of comments about the fact that it takes place on our working farm and features the food we grow,” said King. “We’re always hearing really good things about the food.”