The July 19-21 festival in the middle of northern Lake Michigan continues to grow and get national attention, blending big names with Michigan stars for its 2018 event. Advance tickets are on sale now.
SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS OF SOME FEATURED FESTIVAL BANDS
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As one of the Michigan music festival season’s best-kept secrets, the Beaver Island Music Festival has long captivated a devoted, fairly intimate fan base with its remote, special vibe.
With its 2018 lineup, the festival might not be much of a secret anymore.
National festival favorite Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band of Indiana will headline July’s soiree on Beaver Island, with Michigan stars such as Gunnar & The Grizzly Boys, The Gasoline Gypsies, The Legal Immigrants, Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish, Oh Brother Big Sister, Abigail Stauffer & Dave Haughey and Slim Gypsy Baggage also rocking the three-day affair held literally in the middle of northern Lake Michigan.
“It really feels like we’re moving to a new level this year in our ability to bring in talent our audience will love,” festival board member Kristen Hartnagel said of the July 19-21 event.
“From show-stoppers like Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band to the awesome vibes and mesmerizing vocals of (Ann Arbor’s) Abigail Stauffer & Dave Haughey, I have to pinch myself.”
The Cerny Brothers, The Novel Ideas, Nathan & Jessie, King Strange, Simplicity, MC Hosts, Dave Boutette, Kristi Davis and Shelly Smith are also on the weekend bill.
A ‘MELTING POT OF MUSIC’ AND ‘PLENTY OF ROOM TO EXPAND’
The festival certainly has grown from its humble origins back in 2003 as a local music celebration on the largest island in Lake Michigan, about 32 miles from Charlevoix. In recent years, 1,500 to 2,000 have attended the annual event, with festivalgoers camping on the island. And American Experess Essentials just named the festival one of “15 Island Music Festivals To Escape To.”
“We have plenty of room to expand those numbers and still keep it the unique relaxing vibe that festivalgoers have come to love,” said festival executive director Carol Burton, noting that about 800 musicians have performed at the festival over the years.
The festival’s goal, she said, is “to create more opportunities that strengthen cultural arts in our communities” through partnerships with other organizations and events.
Hartnagel said the annual festival creates a unique atmosphere.
“The best thing about the Beaver Island Music Festival is the melting pot of music and how both the people performing and the people those musicians draw to the island culminate in the most delicious concoction ever,” she said. “What an experience and sense of family.”
Advance tickets, until July 7, are $95 adults for the weekend or $30 per day, with discounts for seniors and teens. Children 12 and younger are free. Tickets are available now by PayPal and mail order; get more ticket pricing and details online here, or call 231-838-2883 for information.
VIDEO: Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, “Raise a Little Hell”
VIDEO: Gunnar & The Grizzly Boys, “Heart of Dynamite”
VIDEO: The Gasoline Gypsies, “Walkin’ Trouble”
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