The second-year festival fires up again in the Trufant area on Friday with more than 30 acts slated to perform over the holiday weekend. Get the lowdown, schedule and more at Local Spins.
Tons of Live Music, Food and, Yes, Fireworks: Smiling Acres Music Festival resumes this weekend. (Photo/Anna Sink)
While some will participate in traditional Fourth of July activities such as parades and barbecues, others will be dancing the weekend away at the second annual Smiling Acres Music Festival.
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After staging its inaugural festival last year, Smiling Acres returns Friday through Sunday over the Fourth of July weekend.
The three-day festival is packed with family-friendly yoga and children’s activities coupled with more than 30 bands, including The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Erin Zindle & The Ragbirds, The Bootstrap Boys, Jen Sygit, Barbarossa Brothers, Tyler Sjostrom, Myron Elkins and Nathan Walton & the Remedy.
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“We have a killer festival in store for this year,” said Mark Lavengood, one of the festival organizers who’ll also perform during the festival. “We’ve also expanded to offer even more with our second stage.”
The second stage will feature a large selection of local and regional acts throughout the weekend including Nicholas James & the Bandwagon, Jack Elliot, Patty PerShayla, i.am.james, Les Older, Seth Bernard and Ben Traverse.
Traverse, a returning musician this year, called Smiling Acres “the best run and organized new festival I’ve ever been to. I’m so stoked to be a part of the lineup again for its second year.”
Food vendors will include The Old Goat, serving its gourmet mac and cheese, Cosmic Kitchen, with its grilled cheese sandwiches, LumberJill’s, With their burgers, and Wood Concessions, with offerings to help satisfy your sweet tooth.
“We are really excited to be in our second year and growing. Our goal is to continue to cultivate a diverse audience from all around the state and the Midwest while growing as sustainably as we can each year,” said Lavengood.
“We also really have a killer and solid lineup of Michigan music this year too. It’s not to be missed.”
The festival itself takes place on a 40-acre site about 37 miles northeast of Grand Rapids and within five miles of five publicly accessible lakes. The festival grounds also offer hiking trails, with 3,000 acres of state land close by for exploring.
“Don’t forget about our fireworks show to close it all out with a bang,” said Lavengood.
Weekend tickets –$75 adults, $25 children — are sold online at smilingacres.org. Day passes — $35 — also are available.
View Local Spins coverage of the inaugural 2021 festival: Smiling Acres Music Festival debuts with rousing live sets, hugs and, yes, smiles
Smiling on Trufant: The family-friendly festival begins Friday. (Photo/Anna Sink)
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