Mile 6 set for August 2-5, 2018

Returning to Downtown Appleton for its sixth year this summer, Mile of Music, presented by Tundraland, will again feature 200 artists, 900 live performances and dozens of interactive education sessions during its four-day run set for August 2-5.

On Thursday at OuterEdge Stage, Festival organizers unveiled the annual “First 50” artists set to play the all-original music celebration along with detailing some of the special programming that will return to the mix for the weekend. Co-founders Dave Willems and Cory Chisel also emphasized a main point of focus for organizers in the weeks ahead: a concerted effort to work with venues and festival-goers to curate a better listening and music-first experience at each of the festival’s host music venues.

Chisel and Willems appeared with presenting sponsor Brian Gottlieb of Tundraland Home Improvements to announce the initial grouping of artists, including solo artists, duos and full band acts. This first group of 50 represents 24 states, Washington D.C. and Canada, with 30 artists new to the festival and 20 returning fan favorites. The initial list includes:

• Zane Carney, Los Angeles-based, GRAMMY-nominated guitarist, most known for his work with John Mayer, Avril Lavigne, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder and U2;
• Lilly Hiatt, Nashville songstress and daughter of acclaimed songwriter John Hiatt;
• The National Parks, a Provo, Utah-based, Americana/pop-folk band that draws comparisons to Foster the People and Mumford & Sons, and whose first studio album rose to #13 on the iTunes singer/songwriter chart;
• And, among the returning artists, fan favorites The Suitcase Junket, Terra Lightfoot and Maybe April. Lightfoot and the trio of Maybe April made their debut at the festival last year, while Matt Lorenz, a.k.a. The Suitcase Junket, is the one-man band that took the festival by storm at Mile 3. This will be his first time back to the festival.

Presented by Tundraland since 2015 – with the home improvements company serving as the largest of the event’s nearly 100 sponsors – the festival blankets the one-mile stretch of Downtown Appleton over the extended weekend with live music at 70 different indoor and outdoor locations, showcasing original roots music from indie and up-and-coming performers.

“The First 50 event is always exciting as it gets people back in the festival spirit and gives them a sneak peek at some of the exceptional talent to come,” said Gottlieb, president of Tundraland. “Our organization is proud to support a festival that has such a positive cultural impact and makes music accessible to everyone in our community the way The Mile does.” Through its Tundraland Cares initiative and numerous other efforts to give back, the Fox Cities-based organization has become a leading supporter of community events throughout Northeast Wisconsin, highlighted by its role for four years running as presenting partner of Mile of Music.

Several festival staples from years past are back for Mile 6 such as First Songs, the Mile of Music Bus, the Singer-Songwriter Salute, an expanded number of Performance Pop-Ups and the popular Chisel-hosted A Song Before We Go showcase, where a medley of artists share a farewell song to close out the final day. The Music Education Team from Lawrence University will also be back to organize dozens of interactive, hands-on activities for attendees, ranging from world percussion events to instrument workshops and songwriting sessions.

As Dave Willems, Mile of Music’s executive producer explained, the artists showcased at the music festival are not household names, rather they are typically undiscovered or unsigned performers who are traveling the country while building a name for themselves. “Our niche is in showcasing artists you may not know, but should,” Willems said. “We’re honored that we can create this opportunity for these artists to connect with so many appreciative music fans.”

Both Willems and Chisel said The Mile 6 Team will focus on creating a higher quality music experience for the performing artists and music fans alike across the festival’s many and varied venues. “In the weeks leading up to the festival, we’ll be working with the venues and the community of music fans to curate a better listening experience by sending a message of paying respect to the artists by paying attention,” Chisel said. “We want to continue building the festival’s reputation of being a destination and a music experience where artists feel appreciated and respected during these magical four days.”

Mile of Music performances are free to attendees, making it a rare opportunity for music fans in today’s typically high-priced music festival world. Organizers do offer Music-Makers Subscriptions that are available for a select number of exclusive shows during the festival and year-round perks, but the festival’s 900 live performances are free to the community and music fans who travel from across the country.

Another 150 acts will be announced over the next six weeks to round out the roster by June 1, with the full schedule of dates and times to follow by mid-July. To check out the line-up of artists and any news related to the festival and “Mile Week,” visit www.mileofmusic.com.

ABOUT MILE OF MUSIC
Mile of Music is an original roots music festival that launched in August 2013 as a creative and economic catalyst in Downtown Appleton, Wis. The free, four-day festival is held in August with the support of nearly 100 community sponsors and 400 volunteers. It features 900 live music sets and 200 artists at 70 venues along the one-mile, walkable stretch of College Avenue and the nearby riverfront.

2 Responses to Mile 6 set for August 2-5, 2018

Keevie Bremhorst says:

April 19, 2018 at 2:02 pm

What a great video intro of the first 50!!!! We are so excited!

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Dennis Hanagan says:

April 27, 2018 at 10:17 am

Who ever thought of this. AWESOME

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