Moondance music festivals to go on this summer

Bria Barton, The Bemidji Pioneer, Minn.
·2 min read

Mar. 30—WALKER, Minn., — After being canceled last year due to the pandemic, the Moondance festivals are now ready to make a comeback this summer in Walker, organizers announced Friday, March 26.

The 15th annual Moondance Jammin Country Fest is scheduled for June 17-19, and the 30th anniversary of Moondance Jam will be held July 22-24.

"With all of the uncertainties over the winter with COVID restrictions, outbreaks and changing guidelines, we have had to keep working behind the scenes to keep pushing to have our Moondance festivals this summer," organizers said in a release. "We want to let you know that even though we know there are still some challenges ahead, we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and we are committed to jammin' at Moondance with you this June and July."

Tickets for the festivals can be purchased on the Moondance events website at shop.moondanceevents.net, or by calling (218) 836-1055. A ticket price increase will go into effect on April 15.

Those who purchased tickets, camping or chair tags last year, will be able to use them for this summer's festival.

Artists and bands, such as Midland, Neal McCoy and Lauren Alaina, are set to perform at the Moondance Jammin Country Fest. However, organizers noted in the release that Nitty Gritty Dirt Band will not be at the festival this summer. A replacement will be announced when confirmed.

Alice Cooper, Night Ranger and Todd Rundgren are some of the musical acts to be featured at Moondance Jam. The rock lineup is still set, and organizers are working with several more artists/bands to get the remaining time slots filled. They will be announced when confirmed.

As of now, organizers said they feel "very confident that everything is going in the right direction" for summer outdoor festivals due to the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine in Minnesota and the state opening up the capacity of outdoor events to 10,000 starting April 1.

However, they also noted that Moondance events may look a bit different in 2022. They said they plan "to transition Moondance into a seasonal campground along with more, smaller events and live entertainment."

"As with everything this past year, we expect that there may be changes or things that come up that are out of our control and we are ready for the challenge," organizers said. "But, right now we are setting our sights on June and July and if anything does come up, we are ready to deal with it."