Hoxeyville
Festival in the Forest: Hoxeyvilles Set to RockBy Kristi Kates
Deadheads and noodle-dancers, folk fans and jam bands, chilled-out
campers and local music aficionados - theres something for every
single one of you at this years upcoming Hoxeyville Music Festival as
it embarks upon its 8th year.
The festivals Jake Robinson hails from the Hoxeyville area (the town
west of Cadillac where the fest takes place), and says that the
festival may have started small, but has already grown into another
one of the must-see summer weekend music events in the area.
Hoxeyville was formed in 2003 as a one-day event held at Coyote
Crossing Resort, Robinson explains. It featured some local acts that
included Seth Bernard, May Erlewine, and Dave Taylor; since then, its
grown into a three-day event, and in 2008 we relocated from the resort
to the new site.
The tiny town of Hoxeyville might seem like an unlikely spot for such
a happening. But thats exactly what the festival team wanted - an
unassuming locale that was surrounded by a forest.
Hoxeyville is a great little town, Robinson says, myself and some
of the other organizers were from the area and vacationed here, so we
thought it was a great spot for a festival. The site is set deep in
the heart of the Manistee National Forest on 85 acres, which includes
the two venues, primitive camping, and a disc golf course.
Robinson says that there are other places to camp nearby as well.
We are also located across the street from a modern campground called
Kestelwoods, and there are several other modern campgrounds in the
area.
LISTEN AND DO
In addition to the many camping facilities, Robinson says that the
Pine River is another of the fests great resources, open, of course,
24/7 for paddling, swimming, and resting up between bands.
And as for those bands - this years event is anchored by a pair of
Grateful Dead bandmates, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmanns Rhythm
Devils - and there are plenty of other notable acts, as well.
Among the other headliners are Keller Williams, Todd Snider, and Karl
Denson, Robinson says. Our headliner support acts include Justin
Townes Earle, My Dear Disco, and Frontier Ruckus, plus the return of
Seth and May; and local Michigan-based acts of note include Funktion,
Red Sea Pedestrians, Rootstand, and Graham Parsons and the Go Rounds.
So does Robinson have a personal favorite among 2010s extensive list
of performers?
Im always pumped for the headlining talent just like everyone else,
he says, but from the start, this was about cultivating the music
scene here in Michigan, and now its really moving, so I guess thats
what is best about it. You never know who may sit in with who or what
other surprises may be in store!
The 2010 Hoxeyville Music Festival will take place West of Kestlewoods
Campground on M37 Friday-Sunday, August 20-22. For tix and more info,
visit www.hoxeyville.com.
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