More than two dozen regional acts will play the White Birch event at the Morelands Motocross Park; Greensky hasn’t yet revealed the location of its new festival.
On Stage: The Galactic Sherpas will light up the first-ever White Birch Music Festival.
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A new West Michigan music festival showcasing regional artists will debut in May at the Morelands Motocross Park in Stanton about 55 miles northeast of Grand Rapids.
Ryan Williams and The Change (Photo/Anna Sink)
The White Birch Music Festival will feature sets by more than two dozen acts – including Galactic Sherpas, Eric Engblade, The Marsupials, Chuck Whiting, Dede Alderman, Tony LaJoye Trio and FlyLiteGemini – over the weekend of May 11-13.
Spearheaded by Ryan Williams, a veteran festival organizer and frontman for the band The Change, the event is designed to be a “community-driven, family-friendly” festival that will also feature food vendors.
Williams called it “something I’ve been dreaming of putting together for a long time – 14 years in this community and 16 in the industry. I’ve seen a lot and experienced a lot of magic mostly in the Michigan music community, or as I like to call it, my family.”
And it’s not the only new Michigan festival announced this week: Kalamazoo-bred Greensky Bluegrass announced via its website and social media plans for the inaugural Camp Greensky Music Festival, slated for May 31-June 2 at a yet to be disclosed location in Michigan.
Greensky Bluegrass posted this ‘Save the Date’ on Friday.
Details about the festival are expected to be available in early to mid-February. (Follow Local Spins for more information in coming weeks.) For more than a decade, Greensky Bluegrass has made it a tradition to be the headlining act for the Bell’s Beer Garden Opener in Kalamazoo the first weekend in June.
The White Birch Music Festival also expects to reveal more details in the future, including an announcement of five more bands being added to the bill for the May festival.
The current lineup features Act Casual, Brent Godfrey, Chit Holdems, Chuck Whiting, Dede Alderman, Elroy Meltzer, Eric Engblade, Eric Nassau, Feral Ground, FlyLiteGemini, Galactic Sherpas, Giggles and Kitty, Honorable Spirits, Jake Willis, Kim Megoran, Nordy, On The Rocks, Sherman Gepard, The Change, The Marsupials and Tony LaJoye Trio.
“We are incredibly honored to be rocking a headlining slot on Friday,” said guitarist Tai Drury of Harbor Springs funk-rock band The Marsupials. “The lineup looks amazing, lots of great local talent and even some acts we don’t usually see in the festival circuit. Definitely a recipe for a great time.”
“Much love to Ryan for putting the whole thing together and giving people a chance before summer to dance off the winter blues.”
Early bird weekend passes, $30, which include camping, are available online here.
Morelands Motocross Park is an off-road riding facility located at 5221 East Pakes Road in Stanton, with 33 acres of “natural northern terrain.”
Festival Site: The fishing pond on the Morelands property.
“The folks helping put the event together include Grant Moreland from Morelands Motocross and each coordinator helping bring together our event are also coordinators for events all around the state working together,” said Williams.
“This is a truly community-built event.”
For a complete roster of Michigan festivals, check Local Spins’ Big List of Michigan Music Festivals.
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