End-of-summer fun: Late August’s festival flurry heats up
As August enters its final weeks, Michigan will uncork a flood of music festivals to close out one of the busiest summers for live music in recent memory.
As August enters its final weeks, Michigan will uncork a flood of music festivals to close out one of the busiest summers for live music in recent memory.
Since May, the state’s music lovers have flocked to more than 50 music festivals — some of them brand new — and a dozen more will unfurl before the end of the month, even as youngsters across Michigan head back to school.
While on the subject of new festivals, the biggest by far happens to be former Traverse City resident Billy Strings’ first-ever Ionia Freak Fair being staged on the Ionia County Fairgrounds not far from his hometown of Muir.
More than 27,000 revelers are expected to invade Ionia for the sold-out Aug. 28-29 spectacle that will feature sets by a bevy of bluegrass powerhouses — Billy Strings, Greensky Bluegrass, Leftover Salmon, Sierra Hull, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, Full Cord and Lindsay Lou (a northern Michigan native who just released a new studio album, “Bluegrass Women.”)
The event will also feature a heavy metal tent hosted by The Pyramid Scheme starring Bane, For the Fallen Dreams, Heartsick, Cryptopsy, Flesh & Blood Robot and See You Next Tuesday. Many fans expect to see the bluegrass guitar host join some of that metal shredding over the weekend: Billy Strings played in metal bands as a teenager and joined Flesh & Blood Robot on stage at Grand Rapids’ The Pyramid Scheme in March 2024.
Another first-time festival takes place in Homer, Michigan, this weekend — a one-day celebration hosted by the soulful and rootsy The War & Treaty, a band that got its start in Albion just a few miles from the site of the inaugural HeartsTown Music Festival.
The Saturday, Aug. 22, lineup at this sold-out event, led by Michael and Tanya Trotter of The War & Treaty, will feature a roster of Michigan-based artists (The Gasoline Gypsies, Abigail Stauffer, Kylee Phillips, DuPont Phillips, EON and DJ Bigman Terrell) and Nashville acts (Brittney Spencer, Blank Page, Kentucky Gentlemen and Jordan Babbs).
“This isn’t just another music festival,” the Trotters wrote on Facebook. “It’s a weekend of storytelling, love, community and the kind of music that brings people together.”
The festival takes place the same day as Albion’s Walk the Beat festival just a few miles away – an afternoon event headlined by The War & Treaty in 2025.
Northern Michigan boasts its share of late August celebrations, too.
Meadowfest, taking place Friday and Saturday, Aug. 21-22, at 3992 Mt. Bliss Road in East Jordan, will feature 18 performers, including Silver Creek Revival, Jack Elliott, Foolish Fox, Michael Rosteck, Radio Vision, RIBO, Woodcarver, Ghost Orca and more.
Camping is available at the all-ages festival, which also features a “full gourmet kitchen,” field games, disc golf and other activities. Search for “MEADOWFEST” on Facebook for more information.
The Forest Trail Music Festival returns to Free Soil Aug. 28-30 with an impressive array of Michigan acts, including Desmond Jones, The Rebel Eves, Billy Gunther & The Midwest Riders, The Smokin’ Dobroleles, 1000 Watt Prophets, Manitou Truckin’ Co., Wild Honey Collective, The Rupple Brothers, Seth Bernard, Cold Mountain Child and others.
Get ticket information and details online at foresttrailmusic.com.
That same weekend, Aug. 27-30, Cedar once again will host its annual Cedar Polka Fest with upwards of 10,000 people enjoying a weekend of polka music, food, a car show and parade, and an arts and crafts show. Bavarski, The Diddle Styx, Polka Generations and Dynabrass are among the bands slated to perform. Learn more at cedarpolkafest.org.
Farther north, the Porcupine Mountains Music Festival fires up again at the Winter Sports Complex amid Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Ontonagon Aug. 28-29. The 20th edition of the Upper Peninsula festival will feature sets by The Steel Wheels, Southern Avenue, Blair Crimmins & The Hookers, Charlie Parr, The Fretliners, Felix y Los Gatos and more.
Details available online at porkiesfestival.org.
Other August festivals to check out:
- Aug. 21-22: Fishstock Americana Festival at Fish Ladder Park, Old Town, Lansing: facebook.com/events/1530827271730994/1530831405063914.
- Aug. 22-23: Return to the River Festival in the Monroe North District, Grand Rapids: downtowngr.org.
- Aug. 22-23: Grateful Bear Campout Music Festival at Smiling Acres in Trufant: facebook.com/GratefulBearCampoutMI.
- Aug. 28-30: Blues by the Bay in Harbor Park, East Tawas: bluesbythebaytawas.org.
- Aug. 29: Burning Foot Beer Festival at Heritage Landing, Muskegon: burningfoot.beer.
— Find more Michigan music news and concert listings at LocalSpins.com. Email John Sinkevics at john@localspins.com.
