Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
MEMBERS OF Roosevelt Diggs perform on Saturday afternoon at the Porcupine Mountains Music Festival in Ontonagon. The Michigan band - which combines, folk, country, bluegrass, blues, rockabilly and rock and roll into a crowd-pleasing, clap-along frenzy -brought high energy to the event after having camped on Lake Superior, in which they took a morning swim. From left are Jon Shears and brothers Logan Duddles and Levi Duddles. Not shown is Jeff Leitch on percussion. "We love you guys," called out one fan. Bonus points for the ties.
By PAMELA JANSSON
Ontonagon - If you like hippie fashion, infectious beats and the sight of people of all ages in a wave of generational joy, then you were probably at the Porcupine Mountains Music Festival, held last weekend on Friday and Saturday at the Porkies Ski Complex in Ontonagon.
This is one locale in which you may expect to find, on a single person, every color in the paint store, while also surrounded by crocheted hats, creative footwear, tassels, and little girls in princess dresses.
And then there's the entertainment for more than 10 hours each day, which includes pretty much anything that deserves to be called music.
The Globe visited on Saturday, but each day included six acts on the outdoor Peace Stage and six acts on the indoor chalet stage, along with multiple acoustic performers in the nearby busking barn.
Saturday was hot, with temperatures reaching beyond the mid-80s, but sunglasses, sundresses, straw hats, cold water and lots and lots of ice cream helped to cool people off.
The rhythm was inclined, on a regular basis, to cause spontaneous bursts of movement, sometimes in the form of actual dancing in front of the performing band, but also by way of little struts and head bops, as with a young dad who sashayed into the festival while holding his baby in his arms.
No matter from where they came, band members were effusive in their love of the region.
"We're so grateful to be here," said Alissa Wolf, lead singer of Stillhouse Junkies, the first act of the day, with origins in Durango, Colorado.
While explaining that she and her band members would remain onsite after the show, Wolf added, "We'd love to get to know you."
"The U.P. holds a dear place in our hearts," said Jon Shears, who played upright bass for Roosevelt Diggs, a Michigan band.
Miko Marks, the Saturday night headliner from Flint, declared shortly after storming the stage, that from the moment she arrived, "I felt so much love."
Ontonagon County residents such as Yvonne Blake, Paige Moan and the Besonen family were among a small number of local performers, with the Besonens getting a standing ovation.
The event also included a kids' tent, outside of which Benjamin Yates, 14, and his brother, Nicholas Yates, 11, of St. Louis, Mo., were making huge bubbles with Evelyn Goldberg, 20, of Duluth.
"I've been coming here since I was three years old," said Goldberg.
Next to them, Jim Miller, age 2, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was applying a handprint to a white sheet spread on the ground.
Julie Anderson of White Pine was one of many volunteers on a security team.
As the festival neared its end, she said there had been no problems. "They're all very friendly," she said of the crowd.
Among hundreds of attendees were Mike and April Nielsen of Marquette.
When asked how they liked the event, April said simply, "Awesome!"
"It's definitely one we try not to miss," said Mike of the annual festival.
Directed by Cheryl Sundberg, the festival is presented by Friends of the Porkies.
are on the Porkies Music Fest website.
