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Greencastle Music Fest going all out with two-day event
After nine years of steady growth and lineups that have drawn 3,000 people downtown, what could make one of Greencastle’s signature events even bigger in its 10th year?
Why not steal a page from the Donnie and Marie playbook and go a little bit country and a little bit rock ‘n’ roll?
Greencastle Music Fest 2019 will do just that, expanding to a two-day event featuring country bands from 5-11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23 and rock ‘n’ roll groups from 3-11 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 24.
Friday’s lineup will include Country Summer from 6-8 p.m. followed by When Country Went Pop from 8:30-11 p.m.
Then on Saturday, the evening of rockin’ will kick off with The Flying Toasters from 4-5:30 p.m., then Big Fun Band from 6-8 p.m. with The Louisville Crashers closing out the evening from 8:30-11 p.m.
Admission will be $5 each day, with kids under 10 free.
Greencastle Music Fest takes place on Greencastle’s courthouse square, with a stage set up on the northeast corner at Indiana and Franklin streets. Entrances for the event will be at the Washington and Indiana intersection, at Jackson and Franklin and at Indiana and Columbia.
“There’s a lot of talent in this group of people,” festival organizer Gail Smith said. “What they bring to the table is entertainment to cover all ages. I want to entertain the three-year-olds all the way up to the 80-plus-year-old. It’s always been my goal to cover all the genres of music and people.”
County Summer is a modern country pop party band in the mold of what plays on 97.1 Hank FM. They deliver an upbeat show for singing and dancing. The Carmel-based ensemble features members Dalhia Goldstein, Tim Neuman, Cole McGlothlin, Ryan Fox, Erik Fox and Tyler Cherry.
When Country Went Pop takes its cues from the “classic” pop country of the Garth, Shania, Tim and Martina era. Playing hits from the 1990s and 2000s, this Indianapolis group bills itself as “the nation’s premier classic pop country event band.”
Saturday’s music will open with longtime Indiana favorites The Flying Toasters and their “non-stop party band experience.” Members include Jason Hayes, Matt Mellinger, Orvis Kirkman, Rodney Stepp, Mark Christopher Rohrman, Staci McCrackin, Kelly Frazer and Holly Streit.
The Big Fun Band is a compilation of musicians who are challenged by and enjoy the addition of brass to bring together rock, jazz and pop from the 1970s to today. Members include Linda Tichenor-Jeffries, Ric Jeffries, Tom Whiteman, Rick Swearingen, Mike Rolle, Norm Hanson, Kurt Baer, Don Correll, John Ford and Ken Myers.
Professionals each in their own right, the members of this Wabash Valley band join together to perform styles of music that require a larger arrangement not found in traditional bands.
Finally, there are the Louisville Crashers, recognized as one of the nation’s best party bands. Back for their fifth performance at the Music Fest, for one night a year they might as well be the Greencastle Crashers.
With unparalleled energy, musicianship and professionalism, members Mark Maxwell, Shane Isenberg, Howard Gittli, Geoff Gittli, Jesse Vest and Max Maxwell bring the “rockpop” to keep the party going all night long.
The event is sponsored by the Putnam County Convention and Visitors Bureau, with Smith’s Almost Home restaurant serving as the host.
Smith praised Director Eric Freeman and the CVB for helping to take the lead on the event.
“They are the presenting sponsor because they feel like this is the biggest event that draws tourists to the area,” Smith said. “Eric Freeman is very hands on. They are very helpful.”
Other major sponsors include stage sponsor DePauw University, host hotel The Inn at DePauw and VIP area sponsors York Automotive Group and Prime Real Estate Group.
Smith also hinted that the night will end with “a really big surprise that people will appreciate.”
The event has come a long way since what looked like it might be a one-off celebration of Almost Home’s 20th anniversary back in 2010.
That was in a time before the Stellar Communities grant and then First Fridays brought a revitalization to downtown Greencastle.
“We continued with that tradition every year and it got bigger and bigger,” Smith said. “It’s something where people really come from all over.
“Quite honestly, that’s where the first Fridays came from,” Smith added. “Once the Stellar project was complete and we had a really nice facelift downtown, I went to Sue Murray (then mayor) and said, ‘Why don’t we do first Fridays?’ And you can see what First Friday has become once Main Street took it over.”
Along the way, there have been some big events at Music Fest, including a 2012 visit from retired baseball great Lee Smith (now a Hall of Fame member for Smith’s beloved Chicago Cubs) and Greencastle native Don Von Tress returning home two years ago to celebrate “Achy Breaky Heart,” a Von Tress-penned song that became a became a smash hit for Billy Ray Cyrus 25 years earlier.
Even life events have been celebrated at Music Fest, like in 2016 when Louisville Crasher lead singer Mark Maxwell offered a pregnant woman $1,000 to namer her baby “Crasher.” The next year, the couple was back to introduce baby Crasher Brendon Michael Buttery to a crowd of 3,000 fans.
“I love my community. I’m excited as to where the event is today,” Smith said. “I feel like years ago, people would go to Avon and Plainfield on the weekends. Now they stay in Greencastle. Plus, with events like this, we have people from other communities and even from out of state, who come to our event. We’ve got a lot to be proud of.”
With the growth of the event, there are additional activities as well.
Among these is a free children’s game area on Saturday, sponsored by First National Bank and Greencastle Pediatric Dentistry.
There will also be a cornhole tournament on Saturday sponsored by Dave’s Heating and Cooling as well as Coors Light. Among the prizes are tickets to this year’s Brickyard 400.
Food will be served by The Inn at DePauw and Almost Home, with the latter also sponsoring a beer garden.
In addition, downtown restaurants will also remain open. Anyone wanting to dine at one of these restaurants is encouraged to buy a ticket, though there will be yellow wristbands for anyone wanting to only go to a restaurant.
“If we see someone in a wristband having fun and watching the show, they’ll be directed to a gate to buy a ticket,” Smith said.
To allow for setup of the event, there will be an extended closure of the streets, beginning at midnight on Thursday and continuing until Sunday morning. Indiana Street will be closed from Columbia Street to Washington Street. Franklin Street will be closed from Jackson Street to the Old National Bank drive-through exit.
Smith also emphasized that there are volunteer opportunities associated with the festival, which can be viewed at greencastlemusicfest.com. Volunteers will get free admission to the shows and will have entrance to Music on the Square for sandwiches provided by Bridges Craft Pizza & Wine Bar.
Music on the Square will also serve as the green room for the musicians.
The show will go on, rain or shine — provided it does not storm.
“We’re celebrating the summer with two nights of great bands,” Smith said. “We’re bringing something here that a bigger audience will appreciate.”