Deadhead Productions and the multifaceted band, Railroad Earth, have announced a new partnership in hosting this year’s Hillberry: The Harvest Moon Festival. The 4-day music and arts festival is set to take place October 13-16, 2016 at Deadhead Productions’ venue known as “The Farm,” in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Opened in May of 2015, Hillberry: The Harvest Moon Festival 2016 will be the 5th event hosted at the beloved festival site, and will feature two nights of Railroad Earth along with 20 national and regional artists to be announced soon. Tickets are on sale now at www.hillberryfestival.com.
Carrying on the fall music festival tradition in the Ozarks, Deadhead Productions (DHP) and Railroad Earth (RRE) have found the perfect synergy of combining the high quality productions of DHP and the musical and artistic insights of RRE. Deadhead Productions is in their seventh year of producing music festivals. Other events DHP are responsible for include their flagship festival, Highberry Music Festival held annually over the Independence Day Weekend, and the funky-in-nature Phunkberry Music Festival. Railroad Earth was formed in 2001 and has been performing nationally since their debut at the prestigious Telluride Music Festival. Since those early days, they have gone on to release 6 critically acclaimed studio albums, a widely popular live release, as well as a DVD release of their sold out performance at Red Rocks in Morrison, Colorado in 2014. Together they will produce a truly one of a kind experience for attendees, with an emphasis on the intimacy of the venue.
With attendance capped at 3,000, concert goers will have the opportunity to get to know their neighbors, the community, and perhaps even encounter some of their favorite artists walking the ground or jamming by the fire. As has always been the case, DHP events are as much about the people as they are about the music. In addition to first class musical talent and stage production, attendees can look forward to more temporary and permanent art installations, workshops, and daytime activities, along with new environmental elements that contribute to the overall ambiance of the event.
The camping, music, and arts festival is set to kickoff at 2:00PM on Friday, October 14th, although there is the option to pay a little extra to arrive on the Thursday and be treated to first pick of campsites and at least one musical act. Performances will follow throughout the weekend with mainstage acts finishing around 2:00AM Friday and Saturday nights. There will also be an abundance of campfire and campsite jams, including booked artists along with organic jam sessions, to round out the nights. Music on the mainstage will conclude on Sunday night at midnight.
Beyond the music, the event offers a wide spectrum of activities and workshops for children and adults alike, ranging from tie-dye workshops, yoga, and hula hooping, to rock balancing, open forum discussions with headlining performers, and more. A very limited number of $100 early bird tickets are set to go on sale Thursday February 26th, 2016 . To find out how tickets to the event may be purchased, go to the event website www.hillberryfestival.com or follow the Hillberry: The Harvest Moon Festival event page on Facebook.
The Farm itself is a sight to behold. Boasting 360° panoramic views in the hills of the Ozarks, The Farm is the perfect setting for a fall festival that is bound to be both colorful and whimsical all at once. The 150 acre property features recently expanded camping in diverse terrain, including an RV camping area (no hook-ups, electrical or otherwise), mainstage camping area, a hillside camping area with spectacular views of the entire venue, a family camping area, and a wooded camping area that is drop off only (no car camping). This is perfect for the hammock camper or anyone wanting more isolated camping without a long trek to get to the stage area. There will also be a Festi-Cab service to cart attendees around whose feet are weary from dancing all day and night.
A general store is onsite and offers an array of necessities including food, non-alcoholic beverages, ice, and camping supplies. A multitude of food vendors will have offerings to appeal to any taste. There will also be beverage vendors offering organic juices and a café serving coffee. Attendees can also find an assortment of unique arts, crafts, and official merchandise to take home as mementos from other vendors who populate “Shakedown Street.”
Finally, no visit to The Farm is complete without a brief hike to the top of the venue to a shrine constructed in memory of the late Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. An Eureka Springs based artist, known as ‘Ralph Shrine,’ and his team built the “Jerry Shrine” to commemorate one of the most inspiring musical artists of the 20th century; an artist whose band and musical legacy left an impact on literally hundreds of thousands of loyal fans that still resonates today. Visitors are encouraged to leave something at the Jerry Shrine, as it is a living work of art, continually changing over time, as do all things in this wondrous spectrum of life.
