The rootsy festival unfurling Friday through Sunday on Jackson County’s Frog Holler Farm will star Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish, Laura Rain & The Caesars and more. The preview at Local Spins.
Holler Fest Headliner: Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish play at 8:20 p.m. Saturday. (Courtesy Photo)
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Locating Holler Fest is a journey all its own.
After rambling along a dirt road in the Irish Hills countryside in Jackson County, attendees are greeted by a modest batch of handmade signs at the foot of a wooded driveway.
Upon entering, festivalgoers get a full tour of Frog Holler Farm, located about 30 miles outside of Ann Arbor. The road winds past an old farmhouse, alongside a historic cabin and acres of flourishing vegetable gardens.
Hosted by the King family, Holler Fest has become a hidden gem celebrating music, food and community since 2007. Showcasing local and regional artists on various stages over a span of three days, the festival has seen significant growth since its early days.
Holler Fest (Photo/Tom Sorenson)
“We have close to 90 performers this year, five stages, lots of new faces like Laura Rain & The Caesars and Desmond Jones and some out-of-state acts as well. We’re excited to have Jesse Ray & the Carolina Catfish and Breathe Owl Breathe back as well as many of the regulars,” says Billy King, who co-hosts the festival with his family.
Other acts include The Go Rounds, Max Lockwood, Loren Kranz and Hearth & Hymn.
Gates open at 3 p.m. on Friday. Single-day tickets are available for $10 while weekend tickets begin at $50. Get tickets online here. The festival is located at 11811 Beech Rd., Brooklyn, Mich.
In addition to its eclectic live music schedule, Holler Fest provides a host of educational workshops for adults and children. These include Stargazing, Wild Edible Plant Walk, Holler Birds and Clogging, among others.
As for its culinary offerings, the Holler Fest Kitchen will be up and running, serving up hearty and home-cooked vegetarian dishes plucked from gardens a few feet away. Pilar’s Tamales, Tiki Sam’s Pizza, Ben’s Island Grindz and Red Tricycle Ice Cream will also be on-site catering to those wayward, after-hour snackers.
Returning to Holler Fest: Max Lockwood (Photo/Julia Olmos)
Another annual Holler Fest tradition, “The Free Store,” will return this year. A second home for previously owned goods, the no-cost shop has a delightful inventory of well-loved (and oftentimes eccentric) clothing and household items.
“Holler Fest always attracts a wonderful community of music lovers and appreciators, not to mention a fantastic lineup of Michigan artists,” says songwriter Max Lockwood. ”I’m very excited to be back on the farm sharing my new music with the band this weekend.”
Find the complete performance schedule online here.
The weather forecast calls for sunny and humid conditions on Friday, with a high of 84 degrees, and cooler temps in the mid-70s amid sunny skies on Saturday and Sunday.
HOLLER FEST 2023: The Local Spins Top 10 Playlist
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