Several Michigan music festivals faced a challenging 2024, with some calling it quits and others reassessing their futures. Local Spins' November report on this emerging crisis became one of the year's top stories.

Unraveling the Fate of Michigan's Music Festivals

‘Dismal’ Turnouts and the Impact

It was a common theme at some Michigan music festivals in 2024. (Photo/Anna Sink) Many festivals experienced a significant downturn in attendance. For instance, the Shagbark Music and Arts Festival in southern Kent County saw "dismal" attendance for its August 2024 event while facing a substantial increase in overall production costs. Farmer John Crissman, the owner of Shagbark Farm, stated that costs have risen across the board by approximately 30 percent, specifically in labor including volunteer help.The festival downturn also affected a fair number of concert venues and nightclubs after a robust 2023. Some festivals faced challenges such as higher costs, lower attendance, and increased competition for entertainment-related dollars.

Festival Production Cost Increases

Seth Bernard from Earthwork Harvest Gathering mentioned that almost all of their costs have gone up. There are many fixed costs associated with putting on a multi-day festival event with camping that cannot be avoided and have gone up, from camping permits to porta johns, from fuel to food. In some cases, costs have doubled. Generally, he said they've had about a 20 to 30 percent increase in fixed costs. It was very tricky to navigate an increase in overhead while also experiencing a downturn in ticket sales as a family business with no investors or financial partners.Walt Lindala from the Marquette Area Blues Festival also pointed out that talent fees have increased, not by a lot but enough that a smaller festival like theirs felt it. Costs of tent, stage, porta-potty rental have gone up, and they also had to pay more to rent the park from the City of Marquette. The fees that used to be waived by the city in totality were now only being waived by 50 percent, increasing their expenses.Megan Lavell from the Fair Ground Festival/Thornapple Arts Council said they have seen the costs go up for their Jazz Festival just like everything else. There has been a continual steady increase over time.

Attendance Drops and Increased Entertainment Competition

Farmer John Crissman from Shagbark Music & Arts Festival believed that attendance was dismal compared to years past. He took part of the blame for letting the kids rebrand (from Cowpie). COVID has definitely changed everything from sleep habits to recreation choices. He thinks the drop in attendance has a lot to do with loyalty in the industry. People used to seek alternative dates if there was another well-established festival on the same date. Now, it's obvious who is in it for the money and who is in it for the love of the music community.Seth Bernard from Earthwork Harvest Gathering said since 2020, people have experienced economic hardship, heightened trepidation with large gatherings in public, and an explosion of new options for live events and experiences. There has been a trend of smaller numbers of people from a younger demographic attending and participating in some festivals. They had to raise ticket prices incrementally to meet rising costs and continue to pay musicians and staff.Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert from Sounds of the Zoo Festival thought there are multiple factors contributing to the drop-offs in attendance. COVID had a massive impact, the economy has had a direct impact, and natural disasters have taken place. There is a survival mentality rather than a community vibe to support one another. The only way to make it is to work together.Megan Lavell from the Fair Ground Festival believed the lower attendance is a post-COVID problem. People got used to being at home and didn't start going out again. In Hastings, it's a unique combination of issues like the post-COVID tendency to stay home, the fact that the music series are no longer new and exciting, people being more selective about what they attend, and ticket costs.Cathy King from Holler Fest, which took 2024 off and hasn't committed yet to 2025, said they decided to take a hiatus to assess what they need to make the festival more manageable in terms of infrastructure and additional personnel. There does seem to be a proliferation of festivals and one-day events throughout the state.

Similar Lineups for Many Festivals

Seth Bernard from Earthwork Harvest Gathering thought the challenge for artistic directors is to deliver on familiar faces while also exposing the audience to new talent. It's important for festivals and venues to communicate with one another to avoid unintended overlap. There are also regional musicians who become a part of the fabric of certain festival communities and will make many appearances.John Crissman from Shagbark Music and Arts Festival said Michigan has one of the best pools of musical talent, but oversaturation in the same market is a concern for both artists and venues.Megan Lavell from the Fair Ground Festival said they tried to balance groups with a solid Michigan support base and bring in groups that aren't on a bunch of other festival lineups.Copyright 2024, Spins on Music LLC