Preparations are being made for Porcupine Mountains Music Festival

Porcupine Mountains - Organizers have been busy getting ready for the 11th annual Porcupine Mountains Music Festival, presented by the Friends of the Porkies.

The festival is held annually on the weekend before Labor Day weekend - this year's dates are Aug. 28-30.

The festival is held at the winter recreation (ski hill) area of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Ontonagon County. It was the very first music festival ever to be held in a state park in Michigan.

The festival celebrates a wide variety of musical styles including Americana, folk, blues, rock, country, bluegrass and more.

It features up close and personal performances by nationally touring acts as well as regional acts on two outdoor stages - the Peace Hill stage and the Singing Hills stage.

A third acoustic stage is set up in the Busking Barn where amateurs and professionals play in a casual setting.

As of press time, these performers have been booked with more to follow: Ruthie Foster, Scottie Miller Band, Ana Egge, The Ragbirds, Reverend Raven and the Chain Smokin' Altar Boys, The Dupont Brothers, Billy Strings and Don Julin, The Dead Pigeons and Tin Can Gin.

Children's activities are held throughout the weekend along with performer workshops.

Food and drinks are available for purchase in the ski chalet.

The three day event is staffed by over 100 dedicated volunteers, including a first aid center on site and ambulance services are available.

Gogebic Community College is involved in the ski hill management of the Porkies. Last year attendees were provided with the opportunity to enjoy chair lift rides during the event and the coordinators plan to continue it for this year's event.

This is a rain or shine event and tickets can be purchased at a discount price through the end of May.

Beginning June 1, tickets are sold at full price with discounts given to seniors and teens and special pricing is available for children.

This year the event was fortunate enough to receive a grant. The Friends of the Porkies have been awarded a grant of $16,500 from the Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs to help put on the festival.

The grant was awarded through the peer review process and was one of 494 applications to compete for the MCACA fiscal year 2015 funding.

For more information on performers, lodging and ticket prices, visit the event website at porkiesfestival.com.