Nelsonville Music Festival facts for kids

The Nelsonville Music Festival is a super fun four-day music event! It happens every year near Nelsonville, Ohio. This festival brings together all kinds of music, from local bands to famous artists from around the world. It's not just about music, though! You can also find yummy local food and cool handmade crafts. Plus, there's a special area for camping and lots of activities just for kids. The festival also tries to be super friendly to the environment.

Discover the Nelsonville Music Festival

How the Festival Started

The very first Nelsonville Music Festival happened on July 23, 2005. It was held right in downtown Nelsonville. Back then, it was a smaller event with six bands and about 750 people. Local artists also showed off their amazing crafts.

This festival is put on by Stuart's Opera House. This is a historic building that is also a non-profit theater. All the money made from the festival helps keep Stuart's Opera House running. The festival began to bring more people to Nelsonville. It also helped make the arts district a lively place again.

For the second and third years, the festival moved to a field behind Rocky Boots. This is a popular shoe company in town. After three years as a one-day event, the festival grew! It became a three-day event and moved to the Historic Village of Robbins Crossing at Hocking College. Now, it's even bigger, lasting four days. In 2014, over 60 bands played, and more than 7,000 people came to enjoy the music!

Festival Stages and Sounds

At the Nelsonville Music Festival, you can find music playing on many different stages. There's the Main Stage, the Porch Stage, and the Boxcar Stage. You can also find music at the Camp Stage.

One really cool spot is the No-Fi Cabin. This is a small, old schoolhouse with no electricity! Performers here play acoustic sets. This means they use instruments that don't need to be plugged in. It's a special, quiet show for a small audience.

Food, Crafts, and Fun Vendors

The festival has many different vendors. These are people who sell things or offer workshops. You can find local and regional artists selling their creations. There's also delicious food, including locally grown organic food.

You might find handmade drums, beautiful jewelry, unique art, and even special soap. Students from Hocking College also get a chance to sell their own artwork and crafts. It's a great way to support local talent!

Caring for Our Planet: Environmental Efforts

The Nelsonville Music Festival really cares about the environment. They work with a group called Rural Action. Together, they try to make the festival a "zero waste" event. This means they try to create as little trash as possible.

They do this by making it easy to recycle and compost. They also teach people how to be more environmentally friendly. You can buy a reusable cup for just one dollar. You can use it for drinks or get free water refills. There are water stations with water filtration devices. This way, you can refill your own bottle or cup.

Activities Just for Kids

The festival is very welcoming to young people! Children aged 12 and under get in for free. Teens aged 13-17 can buy a ticket at a special lower price.

There are tons of activities for kids to enjoy. There's a special area where children can listen to music. They can also create their own music and even make musical instruments! There are puppets for a fun puppet parade. A dedicated kids' stage has workshops and performances all three days. Plus, there's a project where everyone can help create a community mural!

Past Performers: Who Played?

Many amazing artists have played at the Nelsonville Music Festival over the years. Here are a few of them:

2022 Performers

The 16th Nelsonville Music Festival happened from September 2–4, 2022. It was held in a new spot just outside Nelsonville. Some of the main performers included Japanese Breakfast, Mdou Moctar, Yo La Tengo, Neko Case, and Angel Olsen.

2019 Performers

The 15th Nelsonville Music Festival took place from June 6–9, 2019. Some of the big names who performed were The Breeders, Tyler Childers, Mavis Staples, Death Cab for Cutie, and The Wood Brothers.

2005 Performers

The very first Nelsonville Music Festival was on July 23, 2005. The bands that played included Dirty Dozen Brass Band, The Derailers, The Royales, The Carpenter Ants, and Slaughter Drive.

Images for kids

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  Sarah White performs at the Nelsonville Music Festival in 2008.