Expanded and rebranded Milan Music Fest set for Aug. 2-6

MILAN – Mark Gaynier made two big changes to his Milan music festival in honor of its 25th anniversary.

First, he changed the name.

The Milan Music Fest has replaced the Milan Bluegrass Festival.

“I’ve been wanting to change it for awhile,” Gaynier said. “I waited for the 25th anniversary. I usually have a couple country acts, so I can’t say it’s all bluegrass. Now we can have different types of music. But, it will always be acoustic, no heavy metal. It’s good listening music.”

Next, he expanded the event to five days. Past festivals were three and four days.

“Five for 25 has a good ring,” Gaynier said.

The expanded and rebranded Milan Music Fest will run Aug. 2-6 at KC Campground, 14048 Sherman Rd. Tickets are available at the gate and range from $25 to $45 a day. Three- and a five-day passes also are available. Discounts are offered each day after 5 p.m.

Gaynier is hoping the new name will draw a more diverse audience. Some, he said, hear “bluegrass” and decide not to attend.

“’Music Fest’ gets them to look at the bands and check out their music,” he said.

This year, 22 bands will perform over five days. Five bands are new, including Carley Arrowood of North Carolina.

“This is our first big summer tour as a band,” Arrowood said recently. “We cannot wait. It will be a really, really good time. After Milan we are in Ohio and West Virginia.”

Also new is Crandall Creek, which just released a new album.

“We’re excited to be at the festival,” the band said.

Gaynier likes to bring young bands and new singers to the festival.

“Anybody who’s up and coming, young acts, I give them an opportunity to shine. A lot of bands just starting out have played here,” he said.

Among the returning bands are Russel Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, Breaking Grass and bluegrass legend Rhonda Vincent & The Rage.

Several of the returning acts have been coming to Milan for years.

“Milan is one of our favorite festivals,” Breaking Grass said. “We’ve been there the majority of those 25 years. Everyone in Milan is always awesome to us.”

Blake Williams is returning as master of ceremonies.

Prizes will be awarded. Food will be sold. Several vendors also will have booths with handcrafted items, musical instruments and accessories, arts and crafts, jewelry, clothing, home improvements, recreational vehicles, cars, trucks and more.

The festival was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic. Last year, Gaynier offered a three-day music event and was surprised by the response.

“We had a good turnout. I was pleasantly surprised. My goal was just to maintain, but we actually grew in numbers,” Gaynier said.

He expected a decrease because the border to Canada was closed.

“Canadians love bluegrass. This is the closest bluegrass festival they can come to,” Gaynier said. “Last year 300 to 400 Canadians were not here. This year I’m expecting 2,500 to 3,000 people a day.”

For more information, call (734) 439-1076.

On the Net: MilanMusicFest on Facebook and milanmusicfest.com

Schedule:

Aug. 2: Special Consensus and The Grascals

Aug. 3: Midnight Hollow, Full Cord, Jim Hurst, Carley Arrowood and Jimmy Fortune

Aug. 4: Larry Efaw & The Bluegrass Mountaineers, Little Roy & Lizzy Show, Alan Bibey & Grasstowne, Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers and Lonesome River Band

Aug. 5: Deeper Shade of Blue, Larry Stephenson Band, Amanda Cook Band, The Malpass Brothers and Russel Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out

Aug. 6: Dave Adkins Band, Breaking Grass, Crandall Creek, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage and Alex Miller

Festival fundraiser to benefit Tuttle

A fundraiser for Jeff Tuttle will be part of this year’s Milan Music Fest.

Tuttle, 61, from Monroe's Nash Icon 98.3, was recently diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

News report: Monroe radio personality Jeff Tuttle battling cancer

“He’s in the fight for his life,” Mark Gaynier said.

The Milan Music Fest organizer is selling raffle tickets and giving proceeds to Tuttle to help pay medical expenses. The winner will receive a package which includes camping and festival tickets.

“They can come back next year for an all-expense paid trip,” Gaynier said.

Gaynier also contacted bands, and many donated merchandise to be given away as part of the raffle.

Tuttle hosts a bluegrass show on the radio and is a regular at the Milan Music Fest, sometimes even broadcasting from the venue.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Milan Music Fest set for Aug. 2-6