Festival Fever: Dunesville, Nat’l Cherry Fest, Wild Thyme, Walk the Beat, Dam Jam, more

Find lineups and updates for several upcoming festivals, plus listen to today’s special “Festival Edition” of Local Spins on WYCE, with music by artists playing Buttermilk, Electric Forest, Smiling Acres and more.

 

SCROLL DOWN FOR THIS WEEK’S SPECIAL FESTIVAL EDITION OF LOCAL SPINS ON WYCE

When it comes to Michigan’s music festival scene in 2023, the options – and the atmosphere – will vary from event to event.

Take the typical music festival experience, with campers reveling in folk, rock, bluegrass. EDM and psychedelic strains amid Michigan’s forested splendor.

Such is the case for this weekend’s Buttermilk Jamboree and upcoming Electric Forest, Smiling Acres, Charlotte Bluegrass Festival, Blissfest and many others.

But there are urban musical adventures, too, from one-day celebrations such as Saturday’s Grand Rapids Pride Festival on Calder Plaza and City Built Brewing’s Bridge Blast on the Sixth Street Bridge in Grand Rapids to the week-long, early July National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, which hosts the likes of Flo Rida, 3 Doors Down, Chicago and more on its Bayside Music Stage.

Regardless of the setting, festival lineups and announcements continue to pour in as summer heats up.

Check out Local Spins’ latest updates for some of these popular events below, with a full lineup of Michigan music festivals in our Michigan Music Festivals 2023 Guide (which includes previous Local Spins updates):

---

ELECTRIC FOREST (June 22-25 at Double JJ Resort in Rothbury) – The final music, art and “Forest Food” lineups have been revealed, though the actual performance schedule for the sold-out festival hasn’t been released. The latest lineups can be found here.

DAM JAM 2023 (June 30-July 1 at Calumet Lions Park in Calumet) – Biomassive, Buffalo Galaxy, Chirp, Not Quite Canada, Ani & Kora, Mezz, Lena Maude, Soul Responsibility, Jeremy Rowe & The Dead Wreckoning and more are part of this year’s lineup, with organizers also offering limited camping for the 2023 event. Passes are $30-$80. More info online here.

NATIONAL CHERRY FESTIVAL (July 1-8 in Traverse City) – This annual celebration of northern Michigan’s cherry splendor features a host of national acts playing the big Pepsi Bayside Music Stage presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, with Here Come the Mummies and Laith Al-Saadi (July 1), Flo Rida (July 2), Night Ranger and Stephen Pearcy’s Ratt (July 3), Theory of a Deadman and Skillet (July 4), 3 Doors Down and Candlebox (July 5), Jordan Davis and Tyler Booth (July 6) and Chicago (July 7). Get the full schedule, information about other attractions and details at cherryfestival.org.

BLACK SQUIRREL BLUEGRASS & AMERICANA MUSIC FESTIVAL (July 1 in downtown Albion) – Hosted by Albion Malleable Brewing Co., this free, day-long festival (noon to 10 p.m.) features sets by Chain Station, Full Cord, Creature of One, Round Creek String Band, The Make Believe Spurs and Lynn & The Moonshine Runners, with a beer tent, food vendors and maker’s market. Details here.

DUNESVILLE MUSIC FESTIVAL (July 21-23 at Harmony Pines, 4846 N. Hulbert Rd in Interlochen) – Billed as a weekend of “music, camping, arts, crafts, food and family fun,” Dunesville headliners for 2023 include regional acts Act Casual, Chirp, Trifocal, Grace Theisen and The Go Rounds, with Adam Labeaux, Austin Benzing, Earth Radio, Flexidecibel, Strictly Fine, The Rupple Brothers and dozens more performing at the festival. Get more information online at dunesvillemusicfestival.com.

WILD THYME MUSIC FESTIVAL (July 28-30 at Fat Blossom Farm in Allegan) – This two-day festival will feature regional acts The Bootstrap Boys, Cole Hansen & The Heartbeats, Metro Soul Band, Samuel Nalangira, Mandolinissimo (featuring members of Full Cord), The Rebel Eves and more. The family- and pet-friendly event also features family activities and workshops. Get the lowdown and tickets – $75 for an adult weekend camping pass — online at fatblossom.com/wild-thyme-music-festival.

SHAGBARK MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL (Aug. 3-5 at Shagbark Farm in Alaska) – Americana singer, Low Country Sound recording artist and Allegan County native Myron Elkins has been named a headliner for this year’s inaugural rebrand of the Cowpie Music Festival, performing at 8:45 p.m. Friday. Shagbark will continue to reveal its schedule in coming weeks. Tickets, $90 adults, available online here.

WALK THE BEAT GRAND HAVEN (Aug. 12 on the east side of Grand Haven) – More than 50 regional acts have been booked to play the one-day Walk the Beat in Grand Haven with performers vying for votes from fans strolling from venue to venue. Performers include Fathom XIX, The Left Handed Rollers, Kevin B. Klein, John Merchant, Isaac Berkowitz, Vernon Potts, Deerfield Run, Pocket Watch, Colt Snuffer & The Dead Horsemen, FlyLiteGemini, Second Hand Mojo, The Incantations, Nate Dill, Feeding Grizzlies and many more. View the full list online here.

KALAMAZOO VALLEY BLUES ASSOCIATION BLUES BASH (Aug. 19 at Old Dog Tavern in Kalamazoo) – The lineup has been announced with Victor Wainwright & The Train, Annika Chambers, Paul Deslauriers, Deuce ’N A Quarter, 5 Second Rule and Downriver Dan performing at the day-long event that begins at 3 p.m. Details here. Tickets are $25 in advance.

Check out this week’s special “Festival Edition” of Local Spins on WYCE, with tracks by Michigan artists performing at festivals over the next month (Buttermilk Jamboree, Electric Forest, Charlotte Bluegrass Festival, Sol of the Lost Tamarack, Smiling Acres Music Festival and Blissfest): Cabildo, Samuel Nalangira, Dede & The Dreamers, Mustard Plug, Last Gasp Collective, Erin Zindle & The Ragbirds, Y-Not, Full Cord, Cole Hansen, Josh Rose, Lighting Matches, Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers and Sweet Water Warblers.

PODCAST: Local Spins on WYCE (6/1/23)

Copyright 2023, Spins on Music LLC