Palouse Music Festival celebrates its 20 Year Anniversary this Saturday

The Palouse Music Festival returns from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. this Saturday, July 27 at Hayton-Greene Park.

There is an admission price for adults kids ages six to sixteen. Kids aged 5 and under are free.

The event is co-sponsored by the Palouse Arts Council and the Palouse Chamber. People are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and well-behaved leashed dogs are welcome. Fun activities will be provided by a Kids’ Zone and local vendors will be selling their wares. Alcoholic beverages are not permitted to be brought in to the event, but the Palouse Brewery will offer a beer garden and food for sale.

The Music Festival traces its roots to the Palouse Bluegrass Festival. Begun in 2005, it was the brainchild of Heidi Kite, owner of Open Eye, a town landmark. In 2012, spearheaded by Paul Smith, his wife, Dona Abderhalden, and Marie Dymkoski, the Palouse Arts Council took over the event, and the Music Festival was born. Paul Smith, Dona Abderholden, and Leslie Sena are this year’s event co-chairs.

Inspired by Paul’s vision that “Local is the new awesome” the line-up expanded to include a variety of bands from around the Palouse region. Thirteen years later, it continues to live up to that vision. This year’s line-up begins at 11 AM with Jens Hegg (folk and blues), followed by Smith & Reilly (Americana) at 12:15 p.m., The Chelseas (Acoustic Folk) at 1:30, Floating Crowbar (Traditional Irish, known as the premier Irish band in East Washington!) at 2:45 p.m., The Range Benders (Americana Roots to Rock) at 4:15 p.m., and Colfax’s own Tone Sober (Rock) from 5:45 to 7:00 p.m.

The Music Festival is the second of two annual events sponsored by the Palouse Arts Council, the other being the town’s recent June Art Walk and Pop-Up Gallery. The Art Walk support the “Spark an Artist” program, which presents monetary awards to two Gar-Pal students—one middle and one high school artist-in recognition of their talent.