Rebranded, local-focused music festival coming this weekend near Caledonia
ALASKA — Grand Rapids singer and guitarist Nicholas James Thomasma is a true disciple of the smaller, regional music festivals that've soared in popularity of late.
After all, he and his folk-, country- and rock-hued band — The Bandwagon — played two Michigan “micro” festivals on two consecutive days last weekend.
“It was a blast,” said Thomasma. His band played Wild Thyme Music Festival in Allegan on Friday, then traveled more than 80 miles northeast to help pump up Tamarack Music Festival in Morley on Saturday.
“Micro-festivals provide a unique opportunity to truly participate in the incredible community that is the Michigan music scene.”
Another intimate festival unfurls south of Grand Rapids this weekend. It's the inaugural Shagbark Music and Arts Festival at Shagbark Farm in Alaska, outside Caledonia.
The event runs Thursday-Saturday (Aug. 3-5), following a re-brand from the long-running Cowpie Music Festival, which took place in the same location. It'll feature more than a dozen Michigan bands, along with a host of family-style activities.
“We believe Shagbark stands out from other festivals with the goal of creating a fun, family-oriented atmosphere with something to do for all ages,” said Nathan Purchase of Purchase Productions, which oversees talent booking.
Shagbark has concentrated on regional quality over quantity, ensuring none of the weekend performances overlap with one another.
“Our goal with the rebrand was simple," Purchase said. "Cowpie started out as a strictly blues-only festival. As we have grown over the years, we have become more inclusive of all genres ranging from bluegrass, funk, rock, and hip hop.
“In this first year of Shagbark, we believe we have succeeded in creating a stellar lineup by keeping it local and only booking Michigan-based groups spanning several genres, two stages, and zero overlapping music.”
The festival kicks off at 6:15 p.m. Thursday. Weekend tickets are $90. Attendees 10 and younger enter free. Day passes are $30 for Thursday, or $40 for Friday or Saturday. Get tickets online at eventbrite.com.
— Find more Michigan music news and concert listings at LocalSpins.com. Email John Sinkevics at john@localspins.com.
This article originally appeared on Ionia Sentinel-Standard: Rebranded, local-focused music festival coming this weekend near Caledonia
