End of an era: Milan's bluegrass festival ends
August’s Milan Music Fest/Milan Bluegrass Festival was the last.
On Thursday, festival organizer Mark Gaynier announced the end of the popular event that drew fans from several states and performers from across the country.
While Gaynier will continue to own KC Campground, festival venue, he is retiring from producing the bluegrass event. Gaynier made the announcement on the festival’s Facebook page.
“Thank you all so very much for the incredible 25th-anniversary of the Milan Music Fest. Five days of music was quite the undertaking, and we enjoyed it so much. In some ways, the last 25 years have flown by, and I’m grateful to everyone who has been with me along the way. I’ve made so many friends through bluegrass music, relationships that I know will last a lifetime, and I am so humbled by the support this community consistently gives me and each other,” Gaynier wrote.
“With this personal milestone reached, I’ve given great thought to what’s next for me and the Milan Music Fest. I’m in a new season of life now, and after much deliberation, I have decided it is the right time for me to retire as festival producer. This decision has not come easily, but I feel great peace about it.”
“I will certainly miss having the event here at KC Campground, but I am hopeful that retirement will free me up to travel throughout the year and enjoy even more bluegrass music by attending festivals I’ve never had the opportunity to support. I will continue ownership of KC Campground, and I want to invite everyone to stop by and hang out with us anytime you’re looking for a place to camp near Milan.”
Fans and bluegrass performers responded to the news with sadness and also gratitude for the festival's long run.
The original Milan Bluegrass Festival began in 1978 and was organized for many years by Jim and Peggy Ann Wilder of Royal Oak.
Jim Wilder continued to book acts for the festival even after Gaynier and his wife, Peggy Ann, bought the campground in the 1990s. Jim Wilder died in 2012, but had most of the 2013 festival planned bfore his death. Gaynier took over Wilder's duties for the 2014 festival.
Last year was the 25th anniversary of the festival under the Gayniers' ownership. In honor of the anniversary, the festival’s name was changed to the Milan Music Fest, and the event ran for an unprecedented five days. Previous festivals were three and four days. The festival typically drew up to 3,000 attendees each day.
Sharing the stage each year were bluegrass legends like Rhonda Vincent and Joe Mullins, but also many newcomers. In previous years, Gaynier spent winters traveling the country, looking for new acts. He often brought young perfomers to Milan, giving them exposure in the bluegrass genre.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: End of an era: Milan's bluegrass festival ends
