
MICHIGAN MUSIC FESTIVALS 2021
The contagion COVID-19 made a mockery of last year’s Michigan music festival schedule, with large gatherings curtailed or banned across the state.
Local Spins checked with festival organizers, websites, events pages and more to come up with this list. Please note: Even if a festival is listed here, it could be canceled, postponed or changed at any moment. Keep checking this site and festival links, especially as the date draws near.
If we err in 2021, let’s err on the side of optimism and hope for a fantastic festival season. May your campsite be dry, your totems fly and your ears be filled with the joy of music in Michigan. Email liz@localspins.com for festival updates or additions to this list. And email john@localspins.com for advertising opportunities.
MICHIGAN MUSIC FESTIVALS 2021
NEWS & NOTES
SCROLL DOWN FOR A FULL LISTING OF 2021 FESTIVALS
Now is the time: Dunesville Music Festival has put out a call for musicians, vendors, workshop teachers and visual artists.
The Acoustic Sunset Concert Series at Camp Blodgett has announced that it won’t be returning in 2021.
MICHIGAN MUSIC FESTIVALS: THE LIST
Jan. 29-30
Ann Arbor Folk Festival
Live-stream Event
CANCELED
March 4-6
Hamtramck Music Fest
Trixie’s Bar, Hamtramck
March 6
Kalamazoo Fretboard Festival
Virtual
May 7
Mitten State Music Revival
Historic Masonic Temple, Bay City
May 22
BBQ Bluegrass and Blues
Whirlpool Centennial Park, St. Joseph
May 21-23
White Birch Music Festival
Morelands Motocross Park, Stanton
May 28-31
Buses By The Beach
Camp Blodgett, West Olive
May 29-31
Movement Music Festival
Hart Plaza, Detroit
June 5
Hippie Fest
Kalamazoo County Fairground, Kalamazoo
June 3-5
Camp Greensky
Hoxeyville Festival Grounds, Manistee National Forest, Wellston
June 4-6
Festival Of The Arts
Downtown, Grand Rapids
June 11-13
Nor-east’r Music & Art Festival
Oscoda County Fairgrounds, Mio
June 17-21
Cedar Polka Festival
Tennis Courts, Cedar
June 18-20
Buttermilk Jamboree
Circle Pines Center, Delton
June 18-19
Summer Solstice Jazz Festival
Downtown East Lansing (Bailey Parking Lot, Albert-Division intersection), East Lansing
June 24-26
Charlotte Bluegrass Festival
Eaton County Fairgrounds, Charlotte
June 24-27
Electric Forest
Double JJ Ranch, Rothbury
June 26
Marshall Blues Festival
Downtown Marshall
July 9-11
Blissfest
3695 Division Road, Harbor Springs
July 9-11
(RESCHEDULED FROM SEPT. 3-5)
Big Ticket Festival
Otsego County Fairgrounds, Gaylord
July 9-10
Michigan ElvisFest
Wayne County Fairgrounds, Belleville
July 16-17
Upheaval Festival
Belknap Park, Grand Rapids
July 15-17
Beaver Island Music Fesitval
28599 Hideaway Trail, St. James, Beaver Island
July 16-18
Faster Horses Festival
Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn
July 16-18
Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival
Marquette Tourist Park Marquette
July 25-31
Marshall Bluegrass Festival
Calhoun County Fairgrounds, Marshall
July 30-Aug. 7
Baroque On Beaver
Various locations, St. James, Beaver Island
July 23-25
Dunesville Music Festival
The Harm Farm, Lake Ann
Aug. 6-7
Port Sanilac Blues Festival
Waterfront, Port Sanilac
Aug. 3-6, 2022
Milan Bluegrass Festival
KC Campground, Milan
Aug. 11-14
Unity Christian Music Festival
Heritage Landing, Muskegon
Aug. 12-15
Farmfest
1865 Roby Road, Johannesburg
Aug. 14
Flint Drop Fest
Buckham Alley, Flint
Aug. 14
Phil Denny’s Armory Smooth Jazz Fete
330 Marshall, Lansing
Aug. 10-14
Frankenmuth Summer Music Fest
Heritage Park, Frankenmuth
Aug. 14-16
Hoxeyville
Manistee National Forest, 11130 W 48 1/2 Road, Wellston
Aug. 27-29
Hollerfest
Frog Holler Farm, Irish Hills
Aug. 27-29
Blues By The Bay
East Tawas Harbor Park, East Tawas
Aug. 27-29
Forest Trail Music Festival
352 West Forest Trail Road, Freesoil
Aug. 27-29
Porcupine Mountains Music Festival
Winter Sports Complex, Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park, Ontonogan
Aug. 27-29
Willowsong Music Festival
Sidney
Aug. 28
Michigan MetalFest
Leila Auditorium, Battle Creek
RESCHEDULED TO JULY 9-11
Big Ticket Festival
Otsego County Fairgrounds, Gaylord
Sept. 3-6
Art, Eats & Beats Festival
Downtown Royal Oak
Sept. 10-12
Wheatland Music Festival
Pierce Road & 30th Avenue, Remus
Sept. 16-19
Michigan Irish Music Festival
Heritage Landing, Muskegon
Sept. 17-19
Earthwork Harvest Gathering
Mud Farm, Lake City
NEWS & NOTES ARCHIVED
The Hamtramck Music Festival has been canceled.
Big Ticket, a Christian music festival, has changed its dates from Sept. 3-5 to July 9-11 at the Otsego County Fairgrounds in Gaylord.
Beaver Island Music Festival is moving ahead with plans for the July 15-17 festival in the middle of Lake Michigan. Should that not be possible, the festival is urging donations to the nonprofit Patrons of the Arts in Rural Communities (PARC). See the PARC Facebook page for more info.
Electric Forest’s dates are still up in the air. “Forest HQ is currently considering options … we are holding to our typical June timeframe.” The Forest Family abides.
Forest Trail Music Festival, which hosted a socially distanced inaugural event in Freesoil last year, is seeking musicians and vendors for its Aug. 27-29 event. Contact organizers at ForestTrailMusic@gmail.com or 231-510-3056.
Arts Eats & Beats in Royal Oak, sponsored by Soaring Eagle, together with the Oakland County government raised more than $400,000 to support musicians. See The Detroit News story.
The classical music festival Baroque on Beaver reports that it received a grant from the Charlevoix County Community Foundation to pay for a new website and branding.
The Great Indoor Folk Festival, which opted out of the popular winter event for 2021, said “we look forward to being back in the saddle 2022” in its announcement on Facebook.