×

Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival set for July 19-21

(Logo courtesy of Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival)

MARQUETTE – The Hiawatha Music Co-op welcomes all to this year’s 41st annual Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival from July 19-21.

Hiawatha is a time to connect with friends and family, old and new, as fans enjoy a live music filled weekend in the heart of the Upper Peninsula. As a community, all are welcome to listen, dance, sing, celebrate all that Hiawatha has become in the last four decades and everything that is yet to come. During the weekend, spectators will be surrounded by not only beautiful sounds and creativity, but by the natural wonder of Tourist Park Campground in Marquette.

The vision of Hiawatha is to bring a celebration of live traditional American music to the people of the U.P., while also welcoming and introducing the beauty of the U.P. to people who may have never ventured here before. Through this mission, the Hiawatha Music Co-op brings people together for an annual weekend live performances, workshops, and jam sessions featuring different traditional music genres such as bluegrass, country, Cajun, Irish/Celtic, old-timey/Appalachian, blues, folk singer-songwriters, and gospel.

Over the past 40+ years, many families have come to the festival and have grown right along with the event itself. it’s truly a place for all to come together.

This year’s festival promises to once again bring together a variety of skilled local, regional, national, and world traveling musicians to the place that Yoopers call home.

Jeffrey Foucault is set to perform at this year’s Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival. (Courtesy photo)

The festival will kick off at 7 p.m. July 19 with the Friday Night Dance. There will be plenty of foot stomping to the tunes of the local band, The Westerly Winds Swing Band, followed by the return of lower Michigan string band, The Johns. True to the Hiawatha spirit that includes welcoming others in, the festival will be capping off the Friday night dance with newcomers Devil in a Woodpile.

Our Saturday and Sunday, mainstage sets will boast appearances by Canadian fiddlers and step dancers The Fitzgeralds, Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Sumkali, Redtail Ring, Old Salt Union, The Lula Wiles, T-Mart Rounders, The Barn Owls, and Jeffrey Foucault with Kris Delmhorst. The Saturday night teen-only dance will feature The Johns and Whitetop Mountain String Band.

In addition, most mainstage performers, as well as local and regional musicians, will present small workshops throughout each day on Saturday and Sunday.

For the third year, there will be a “tweens only” tent for youth ages 9-12 with activities, music and workshops for just their age and interests. The youngest festival-goers will enjoy a busy lineup in the children’s area with child-friendly crafts and activities, including Lunnappi, Randy Kaplan, Girl on a Boat, Yooptone Music Musical Petting Zoo, Wanda Degen and the maypole with Jan Fowler.

Another important festival tradition is the Artists in the Round art and craft show and sale. As always, this year’s artisans will offer a wonderful assortment of wares. This year, the festival will also feature our sixth annual young artists corner that will feature a juried craft show and sale.

This year, the promotors are hoping to see more new faces in the crowd — there’s always room for a few more, or a lot more, around the campfire. To learn more about the festival or to order tickets online, please visit the Hiawatha Music Co-op website at www.hiawathamusic.org. Tickets, camping registration for weekend ticket-buyers, volunteer sign-up forms and information about Hiawatha Music Co-op memberships are also available through the Music Co-op office at 1015 N. Third St, Marquette. Expanded pre-festival hours began May 28 and are 12-6 p.m., Monday through Thursday, through July 11. Or, call the co-op at 906-226-8575.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today