Mile of Music Announces First 50 Artists of Mile 11!

MILE OF MUSIC ORGANIZERS ANNOUNCE 11th FESTIVAL; FIRST 50 ARTISTS, AND NON-PROFIT MATCH  

APPLETON, WIS. (April 23, 2024) – Mile of Music organizers, in connection with the non-profit Appleton Community Music, announced the return of its 11th festival August 1-4 in Downtown Appleton. Organizers of the acclaimed original music celebration also revealed the “First 50” artists set to perform over its four days, with another 150 acts and music educators ready to be announced in the immediate weeks ahead. 

The event’s creator and producer, Willems Marketing & Events, underscored The Mile Team is planning and prepping for the festival to feature 200-plus musical acts, 40 host venues and stages, and an estimated 700 live music sets and additional pop-up performances.  

“We are excited to announce the eleventh Mile of Music Festival, the first of our second decade,” said Dave Willems, experience curator for Mile of Music. “We’re looking forward to more original music in Downtown Appleton this summer and we’re so grateful to our partners and supporters for helping to make the music happen.” 

The official announcement of the First 50 artists falls on the 100-day countdown mark to the summer festival. Throughout the next 100 days, Mile of Music will continue to announce artist lineups, pop-up showcases, volunteer opportunities and more. 

Mile of Music has earned an international reputation with original music artists, their agents and original music aficionados, and it remains a free and fully accessible event with a true community flavor and spirit. In total, more than 1,100 musical acts and nearly 100 music educators have performed or presented in Downtown Appleton at Mile of Music over its first decade.  

The festival layout itself will again stretch between the Lawrence Memorial Chapel on the east end to the Emmett’s and Spats outdoor stages on the west end, plus several music spaces off The Avenue at Rookie’s to the north and two stages to the south in The Flats – Riverside Bar & Grill and Stone Arch’s Outdoor Stage. 

The team will continue to curate Listening Rooms, which have become a big hit throughout the four days with fans who enjoy and prefer a seated, theater-style venue. For Mile 11, Bose will be the production partner for each of the Listening Rooms, which has expanded to more than 10 spaces overall where a premium is placed on listening. “The addition of even more Listening Room spaces allows attendees who prefer listening environments to have their very own ‘festival within the festival,’ Willems said.

The Music Education Team, in collaboration with Lawrence University, will be back with 25 educators and guest artists making their way through the festival, leading interactive, hands-on sessions where attendees of all ages and abilities make the music themselves.  

As with past years, fans are expected to travel from all 50 states and several countries to see the original music artists and festival. Following the First 50 announcement, many fans will take to social media, Spotify and more to begin discovering their new favorite artists and setting their gameplan for who to see at the fest. 

As for the First 50 artists announced, they hail from 15 states, 3 countries and, of course, from right around the corner as well. Thirty-one of the first group will appear at The Mile for the first time, and 19 are returning acts, with six based in Wisconsin. The Mile of Music Team anticipates that about 40 percent of this year’s lineup will feature Wisconsin artists, or artists with direct Wisconsin ties.  

Highlights from this year’s First 50 include Tommy Prine, the son of the late John Prine. When mapping out Tommy’s summer lineup, Fiona Whelan-Prine (wife of John) wanted Mile of Music to be on the list. Returning artist Wild Adriatic heads back to Appleton after a five-year hiatus, citing that Mile of Music is one of the two festivals they plan to perform at this summer. New-to-the-Mile artist Bandits on the Run was featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert’s Top Shelf. 

The slate of 50 artists announced Tuesday is only the start of a continual Mile 11 unveiling over the next six to eight weeks of what will be more than 200 bands, combos, solo acts and music educators who will make up the impressive 2024 lineup. In all, more than 600 musicians will descend upon Appleton for the four-day event.  

Along with the First 50 unveiling, organizers also announced a $15,000 fundraising match made possible by Appleton Community Music’s volunteer-run Board of Directors. This challenge match will be matchable from community donors and pledgers through May 9. The dollars raised through Appleton Community Music, Inc. are used to help fund the performing artist fees and artist hospitality programs for Mile 11. Appleton Community Music was established in 2022 as a tax-exempt non-profit focused on helping sustain Mile of Music and supporting original music in Appleton overall. Donations for the challenge match can be made at appletoncommunitymusic.org.  

Willems noted that the festival will again rely on hundreds of volunteers and nearly 100 key sponsors, community collaborators and production partners who band together to make such a major effort possible. Without the help of sponsors, donors and volunteers, the festival cannot happen. Those interested in sponsoring or partnering with Mile of Music can email [email protected]. Volunteer information will be launched in mid-to-late May. 

As noted, additional artists – including a significant number of local and state acts – will be announced throughout May and June, and fans can keep an eye on the festival’s social media platforms and website for updates.  

Festival organizers estimate the number of attendees for Mile 11 may eclipse 100,000 with an estimated spending impact of $6.5 million-plus. Ongoing information about Mile of Music can be found at mileofmusic.com or by searching @mileofmusicfest on most social media channels. 

Here is the “First 50” grouping of original music artists set to play, along with their communities of origin:  

New Artists/First 50  

• Rainbow Girls (Bodega, CA) 
• Willi Carlisle (The Ozarks, AR) 
• Tré Burt (Nashville, TN) 
• Tommy Prine (Nashville, TN) 
• Lauren Housley & The Northern Cowboys (Yorkshire, United Kingdom) 
• Jeremie Albino (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) 
• Proper. (Brooklyn, NY) 
• Magnolia Boulevard (Lexington, KY) 
• Allison Mahal (Milwaukee, WI) 
• Susan Werner (Chicago, IL) 
• Mary Bragg (Nashville, TN) 
• Shallow Alcove (New York, NY & Philadelphia, PA) 
• Bandits on the Run (Brooklyn, NY) 
• Dee (Philadelphia, PA) 
• Kia Rap Princess (Milwaukee, WI) 
• Bermuda Search Party (Boston, MA) 
• Tall Tall Trees (Asheville, NC) 
• Boris and the Joy (Nashville, TN) 

• Minor Gold (Brisbane, Queensland, Australia) 
• High Tea (Western, MA) 
• The Faux Paws (Springfield, VT) 
• Anna Smyrk (Melbourne, Australia) 
• Abby Posner (Santa Monica, CA) 
• The Pinkerton Raid (Durham, NC) 
• The Periodicals (Madison/Milwaukee, WI) 
• Robby Hecht (Nashville, TN) 
• Grace Pettis (Nashville, TN) 
• NilexNile (Milwaukee, WI) 
• Floorbird (Philadelphia, PA) 
• Tigera (Milwaukee, WI) 
• Gloom Girl MFG (Nashville, TN) 

Returning Artists/First 50 

• Wild Adriatic (Glens Falls, NY) 
• Carsie Blanton (Philadelphia, PA) 

• Illiterate Light (Richmond, VA) 
• Nigel Wearne (Woodford, Victoria, Australia) 
• Dave Hause (Santa Barbara, CA) 
• Sweet Lizzy Project (Nashville, TN) 
• Caleb Caudle (Nashville, TN) 
• Bassel & The Supernaturals (Cleveland, OH and Chicago, IL) 
• HAPPY LANDING (Nashville, TN) 
• Jon Tyler Wiley & His Virginia Choir (Fredericksburg, VA) 
• Heather Maloney (Northampton, MA) 
• Bascom Hill (Madison, WI) 
• Jenny Teator (Nashville, TN) 
• Pat Byrne (Austin, TX) 
• The Black Feathers (Cwmaman, Wales, UK) 
• Abby Holliday (Nashville, TN) 
• Landon Conrath (Minneapolis, MN) 
• Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps (Nashville, TN) 
• Bella’s Bartok (Northampton, MA) 

One Response to Mile of Music Announces First 50 Artists of Mile 11!

Scott Winkler says:

April 23, 2024 at 9:32 pm

Can’t wait to see the Rainbow Girls!!!

Reply