The Wheatland Music Festival is a music and arts festival organized by the Wheatland Music Organization, a non-profit organization specializing in the preservation and presentation of traditional arts and music. Community outreach services include programming for Senior facilities and schools across mid-Michigan, year-round instrument lessons, scholarship programs, Jamborees, Traditional Dances, and Wheatscouts - a free program educating children through music, dance, storytelling, crafts and nature. Each year, the organization holds its annual Traditional Arts Weekend the weekend of Memorial Day, and its annual festival during the second weekend in September in the unincorporated community of Remus in the state of Michigan, in the United States. The first Wheatland Music Festival was held August 24, 1974.

History

In the early 1970s a small group of Mt. Pleasant Food Co-Op (now the GreenTree Cooperative Grocery) members and local musicians were staging free concerts and benefits around the Big Rapids and Mt. Pleasant, MI areas. Common sites were city parks and public halls. Proceeds enabled the food co-op to pay rent and utilities. Meanwhile, founders of the Wheatland Music Organization were organizing about two concerts a month during the summer. The First Wheatland Bluegrass Festival was held as a benefit for the Mt. Pleasant Food Co-Op, August 24, 1974. It was a one-day event held on the Rhode family farm, located four miles east of Remus on M-20. June Rhodes' utility room became festival headquarters, her backyard was the backstage area, and her sister-in-law's yard across the road was the parking lot. The flatbed trailers were in place along with the first-aid tent, a sound system, and a hotdog stand. By 1975 Wheatland was born. Elections were held and the board of directors was established. Many of the first directors are still active in the organization. This can be attributed to their faith in each other, their commitment to community service, and passion for preserving and presenting traditional music and arts. With the 47th annual festival being deferred to 2021, officials blamed the COVID-19 pandemic as the result of 2020's cancellation. 2021 festival and lineup were announced in June 2021, however due to rising rates of COVID-19 the 2021 festival was cancelled on August 11, with the next festival deferred to September 2022.

Timeline

1970s

1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979

1980s

1980 1981 1982 1983 Land purchase: WMO puts $100 down on Gunnison Property 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989

1990s

1990 1991 1992 1998

2000s

2001

2020s

2022

Performers by year

2010s

2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010

2000s

2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

1990s

1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990

1980s

1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980

1970's

1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974