The 10th Annual Porcupine Mountains Music Festival, presented by the Friends of the Porkies, will take place August 22-24 at the Winter Recreation Area (Ski Hill/Chalet) at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. This event is supported by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts.
The festival is a music lover’s smorgasbord, offering up a wide variety of sounds: folk, blues, country, rock, bluegrass, zydeco and more. The festival is managed by a core group of volunteers year-round, and the grounds will be bustling with over 100 volunteers during this three-day event.
Headlining acts this year include:
The Steel Wheels This band has captured audiences across the country with their heady brew of original soulful mountain music and their deep commitment to roots and community. Based in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, this dynamic four-piece string band marries old-time musical traditions with their own innovative sound and lifestyle, generating a truly magnetic revival. This presentation is supported by the Arts Midwest Touring Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and General Mills Foundation.
C.J. Chenier and The Red Hot Louisiana Band Son of the late Clifton Chenier, perhaps the most celebrated zydeco musician in the genre’s history, C.J. Chenier has been having a good time doing what he does for more than three decades. He was still in his teens when he started out, playing in funk bands in his hometown of Port Arthur, Texas. C.J.’s life changed when Clifton asked his son to join his Red Hot Louisiana Band. By the time Clifton passed away in 1987, C.J. knew that his life’s calling was to continue his father’s work, not to play the way Clifton did but to bring zydeco into the present.
Baskery This high-energy trio from Sweden is all about turning music on its head, blending the straightforwardness of punk with the subtlety of singer/songwriting. Baskery has successfully toured all over the world, performing at festivals such as Woodford (AUS), California World Fest (US), Bergen Fest (NOR), Four Corners Folk Festival, (US) and many more.
In addition to hosting 21 different acts on its two outdoor stages, the Porcupine Mountains Music Festival also features a third stage in the acoustic Busking Barn, which offers daily jam sessions and an easygoing atmosphere. In the barn will be professionals and amateurs alike, playing for the sheer love of music…and for tips! There will also be performers’ workshops held daily in the Ski Chalet, and children’s activities on Saturday and Sunday. The festival will be held rain or shine.
Tickets are available at the following prices:
Adults: 1-day pass $35, 3-day pass $90
Seniors 60+, teens 13-17 years old: 3-day pass $72, 1-day pass $28
Children ages 7-12: 3-day or 1-day pass $10
Children 6 and under: free with adult admission.
The Porcupine Mountains Music Festival made state history in 2005 by becoming the first music festival to be held in a state park. The sponsoring organization, Friends of the Porkies, is a nonprofit that represents the interests of all users of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. The park is a popular tourist attraction, with a breathtaking 60,000 acres of natural beauty located in Ontonagon County – one of the least densely-populated counties in Michigan. Laid back and picturesque with wondrous natural surroundings, more than 40 miles of Lake Superior shoreline (named one of the cleanest beaches in America), a community lighthouse, an area rich in mining and Native American history, and the largest span of virgin hardwood/hemlock forests located within the boundaries of the Porkies, are all a part of the legacy of the area.
For more information about the 10th Annual Porcupine Mountains Music Festival, visit www.porkiesfestival.org or contact Angie Foley at 1‑906-884-7663.
For more information about the park, visit www.michigan.gov/porkies or call the park at 906-885-5275 ext. 0. Camping reservations for this event can be made online at www.midnrreservations.com or by calling
1-800-447-2757.
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