Wild Thyme and Tamarack micro-festivals coming this weekend
WEST MICHIGAN — Two boutique-style festivals will prove the growing popularity of intimate musical celebrations while enjoying the state’s attractive landscape this weekend.
For the third year, the Wild Thyme Music Festival will take place on Fat Blossom Farm outside Allegan, while the cozy Tamarack Music Festival commemorates its fifth celebration outside Morley, about 80 miles to the northeast.
"It's a small, intimate festival stuck on a little parcel in the middle of the woods outside of a small town up north,” said Jake Stillson, frontman for Grand Rapids vintage country act The Bootstrap Boys, of the two-day Tamarack event.
Proudly billing itself as the "best tiny festival in the Mitten State," the lineup for Tamarack includes more than 20 regional acts. The Bootstrap Boys join "crabgrass" band Black Jake and The Carnies, Nicholas James and The Bandwagon, hip hop cellist Jordan Hamilton, psychedelic band Cosmic Knot and bluegrass band The Smokin' Dobroleles, among others.
The Bootstrap Boys’ love of intimate festivals extends to Wild Thyme the same weekend: After performing Friday afternoon at Tamarack, the Boys are scheduled to play a Saturday set at Fat Blossom Farm.
Wild Thyme’s impressive lineup of regional performers includes the Beth Bombara Band, Metro Soul Band, Cole Hansen and The Heartbeats, Nicholas James and The Bandwagon, Samuel Nalangira Band, Dede Alder, Dunegrass, The Rebel Eves, Mandolissimo, Sallie Bacon and Brian Oberlin, Water Street Wranglers and Deep-Fried Pickle Project.
Described as “a micro-festival” with fewer than 500 attendees, Wild Thyme also offers workshops, arts and crafts vendors and camping on a small family farm. The festival is also pet-friendly.
Adult weekend passes are $75 (teens are $20). Friday passes are $25. Saturday passes are $50. Buy tickets online at fatblosssom.com/tickets2023.
— Find more Michigan music news and concert listings online at LocalSpins.com. Email John Sinkevics at john@localspins.com.
This article originally appeared on Ionia Sentinel-Standard: Wild Thyme and Tamarack micro-festivals coming this weekend
