Whatever you do, don’t go to Shoe Fest. Camp Shaw Waw Nas See is basically forgettable. The string-based bands all play at their own slots with no overlapping music. You’ll hate it.

On March 25, 2023 we went to La Crosse, Wisconsin to see Chicago Farmer and the Fieldnotes at the Main for the final show of the 20th anniversary tour, part one.  Or as I like to refer to it, the first quarter tour, Chicago Farmer plans on celebrating 20 years all through 2023.

Chicago Farmer has, for twenty years, sung songs of the Midwest, songs celebrating his small-town heritage of hard-working people, making it through life’s good and hard times and proudly wearing their dirty uniforms, whether they live in the country or in a city.

Like many touring musicians, Edward David Anderson (EDA) has logged a lot of seat time in vans and RVs beginning in the mid-1990s. His band, Backyard Tire Fire, toured a bit with Gov’t Mule, Reverend Horton Heat and others, crisscrossing Canada and the United States.

When I saw the location for Rumble Down, I smiled. I wanted more of my family (kids and grandkids) to experience a small jam-grass festival. Four of the grandkids are multi-year Shoe Fest veterans but more of them need the experience and my tribe is all in the Springfield vicinity. The festival site, The Kampground, is within bicycling distance for one of my sons. This would be a bunch of first-time adventures for the family.

My heart was torn when I read that the John Hartford Memorial Festival would be in Springville, Indiana, not Bean Blossom, IN at the Bill Monroe Music Park. I love my little cabin in the woods at the Bill Monroe Music Park (BMMP). It has served us well for many adventures at the John Hartford Memorial Festival (JHMF). And it was reserved and paid for from June 1-5, 2022. ‘My’ cabin has beds, an air conditioner, mini fridge, microwave and sleeps four. We know how to set up to suit our tastes and keep dry.

You’ve been patiently waiting, and we’re tickled to finally announce the daily lineup and the sale of single day tickets. We’ve got over 30 bands and 45 sets of music over the course of four days. Entertainment will be spread out over three stages at our new venue in beautiful Springville, IN. Newgrass, Bluegrass, Jamgrass, Old Time and everything in between will soon be flowing through the campgrounds of the Lawrence County Recreational Park. Plan your festival adventure accordingly and as always expect a few surprises along the way.

FORE, the new EP from Chicago Farmer and the Fieldnotes will be available on Friday, March 4th 2022 for downloading and on all streaming platforms. The first batch of FOREPACK!!!! sold out, but Forty Four more have been added to the website which included the 4 song EP, two stickers, and a koozie for your non 13 dollar beers.

We’re tickled to announce the initial lineup for the 2022 festival taking place June 1-4 in Springville, IN. We’ve put together a superlative lineup that features many of the acts that were booked (and never performed) at the 2020 festival. We know this diverse lineup will appeal to bluegrass, newgrass, jamgrass and old time fans. At the center of our booking philosophy is the concept of putting together a roster of talent that is as eclectic and varied as the music of our festival namesake, John Hartford.

Let’s look at the creativity and courageousness exposing the truths, the deep meaning underfoot, like bugs after the rain, this past year has been insane. Rearranged and renamed, complaints unrestrained, this is the new normal. I’d wanted to write scripture about Shoe Fest, some sort of article of faith, a declaration of devotion to what made me fall in love with festivals in the first place… Alas, this is my iconoclast blast that shall be touted on Facebook groups across America, the finest in toilet reading material.