Sat 10/3 @ 1-10PM
While some heritage festivals and concert series have disappeared from the calendar, the last few years have offered a fresh new crop of events to take their place. FireFish, the Night Markets in AsiaTown and the Ohio City Street Festival are all brand new this year — and now there’s another one: the Hingetown Hoedown.
“Our vision is to create a free, family-friendly (and animal-friendly) music festival transplanted from the Appalachian backwoods and dropped smack dab in the middle of a Cleveland intersection,” the organizers say. “Born from a love of string-band music and built on the rising tide of outstanding local businesses, the First Annual Hingetown Hoedown will bring the sweet folk, bluegrass & newgrass sounds to the blossoming Hingetown neighborhood in Ohio City.”
It’s not hard to find bands and musicians in that vein in Cleveland — they’re everywhere these days! — and they’ve got a strong lineup. The headliners, at 9pm on the main stage, are the Wayfarers out of Zanesville, who play old-time mountain music. Before them at 8pm, you can hear Cleveland newgrass trio Honeybucket (pictured), two of whose members, Adam Reifsnyder and Brendan O’Malley, are among the seven-person team who put the event together. In the 7pm slot are Akron Americana rockers Shivering Timbers, fronted by the husband-and-wife team of Sarah and Jayson Benn, whose energy and distinctive mix of folk, rock, blues, country and pop make them well worth seeking out.
The lineup is rounded out by the Thor Platter Band at 2, Boy=Girl at 3, the Gage Brothers at 4, the Ohio Weather Band at 5, and JP & the Chatfield Boys at 6. Performing on the busking stage will be Chris Volpe, the Whiskey Girls, Shawn & Shelby and Stony Ridge.
The event will also offer craft beer from just up the street — Great Lakes Brewing — food trucks (of course!), local artist and craftspeople vendors their handmade items and family activities.
“Going beyond creating a great music festival, it is our mission to promote sustainability, showcase local start-ups and businesses, and strengthen the bonds of our community,” they say.
It all takes place at the intersection of W. 29th and Church Avenue. And once again, let us remind you, it’s free.
Cleveland, OH 44113