The magic of Hoxeyville 2024 unites festivalgoers for final soiree: Recap, photos

Northern Michigan’s last Hoxeyville Music Festival unfolded over the weekend without some expected headliners but with plenty of nostalgia, regional acts and esprit de corps. The images at Local Spins.

 

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Those that were there — performers as well as devoted attendees — embraced and experienced the magic of Hoxeyville for the last time.

While it wasn’t everything that many folks had initially expected due to cancellations by several headliners at the 11th hour, Hoxeyville Music Festival’s final soiree in northern Michigan’s Manistee National Forest was rife with uplifting sets by regional artists, emotional farewells and expressions of gratitude to organizer Jake Robinson and his team for assembling the annual celebration for more than two decades.

“I’ve been inspired by Hoxey for years and will be inspired by Hoxey for years to come,” regular performer and Earthwork Music collective founder Seth Bernard declared at one point from the stage.

And after the likes of major high-profile acts Galactic, Elephant Revival, Sam Bush and Holly Bowling dropped out citing contractual and financial issues, several Michigan artists stepped in to take their place amid a reworked performance schedule, including The Smokin’ Dobroleles, who graciously “jumped in” to kick off Sunday’s sets (after previously not being in the festival lineup).

Indeed, in the true spirit of collaboration, musicians from different bands filled in and joined their friends on stage for various sets throughout the weekend.

Festivalgoers’ emotions ranged from sadness to bittersweet nostalgia to disappointment to glee at various junctures throughout the weekend, with Bernard, Lindsay Lou, Luke Winslow-King, May Erlewine and others espousing the love and camaraderie that’s galvanized the legacy of Hoxeyville — sometimes bringing listeners to tears.

Conversations also not surprisingly turned to the future of the 150-acre Hoxeyville site, with some predicting that something new might eventually replace the festival after Robinson announced that the 2024 event would be its “swan song.” (Hoxeyville Presents, by the way, also hosted the first-ever “Hoxeyville Spring” festival on the same site in early June.)

After initially announcing late in the week that New Orleans funk band Galactic wouldn’t perform — citing rising costs, an economic downturn and lower-than-expected ticket sales — Robinson didn’t respond to Local Spins queries about what sparked late cancellations by other acts that had been promoted as festival headliners. Those who pulled out cited monetary concerns and issues surrounding the festival’s contractual obligations.

Some ticket buyers (who spent $200 for adult weekend tickets) and prospective festivalgoers complained via Facebook about the unexpected shakeup in the weekend lineup and last-minute announcement, while others rallied to support Hoxey and its organizing team, which has spent countless hours over the years building, creating, planning and operating the popular event.

(As for refunds, the festival’s ticket pages state: “No refunds under any circumstances.”)

Not surprisingly, many of those who packed the festival site all weekend long cheered and applauded the performers who gave it their all on the Hoxey stage for the last time as if those missing acts weren’t missed.

“The Airborne Or Aquatic set was so good Saturday night,” Steve Goeddeke wrote on social media, “I didn’t even care that all the national acts pulled out.”

Another Hoxey fan put it this way on Facebook: “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”

PHOTO GALLERY: Hoxeyville Music Festival 2024 – The Performers
Photos by Anna Sink

PHOTO GALLERY: The People and The Faces of Hoxey 2024
Photos by Anna Sink
VIDEO: Hoxeyville Music Festival 2024

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