mission

To draw attention to small town America by creating a little different version of community that is bigger than one town, or state, through music, art, food, and acoustic song circles.  

Using the roots of music and art to draw attention to small town America falling apart and giving back so these small towns can thrive again. 

We're focused on paying attention to community events in towns around us and supporting them (community events, county fairs, etc.) Small towns are losing grocery stores, gas stations, and swimming pools. 

In response, our acts perform in our local small town cafe to draw in patronage. Any festival goer can sit in the same song circles as our national acts. We're focused on creating an atmosphere every year in Montrose that fosters an inclusive community mindset. It's about more than putting on a show. It's about connecting with one another, investing in rural South Dakota, and bringing the next generation along with us.

ALWAYS

• if you EVER see ANYone carrying a guitar, ask them to play a song!!!
• Introduce  fantastic, independent singer-songwriters that you probably won't hear on the radio.
• Listen. Take time to listen to the lyrics of each song. This isn't a party/bar atmosphere. Listen to one another and pay attention to your surroundings. When visiting space yourself from music.
• Enable volunteers to serve in an area that they are passionate about and gifted in
• Create a family-friendly atmosphere. Be multi-generational. Come with your whole family. Invest in the next generation.
• security=Be nice. If you can't be nice, find someone bigger than you who can be nice.
• Be flexible/adaptable. The best things in life happen off the clock.

NEVER

• Create divisions/hierarchy. We try to eliminate the words: line up, main stage, rockstars, ringers etc.
• Stay in one place. Instead, float around to different song circles, classes, and events.
• Be selfish. Instead, we intentionally partner with artists, venues, and festivals to promote block booking, and working together with our artists to get them to our festival and back home, with the most playable shows, and less travel expense.

My name is Matt Fockler. I started this festival using my experience and the relationships I built while spending 25+ years on the road touring, playing independent Folk/Americana music, and doing interior and exterior design along the way.

I had an idea for how a music festival could address a common problem I saw all across America: small towns are falling apart. It's not just streets falling apart that we can't pay for; we're also not gathering together as much in these small communities.

This festival is about far more than music. It's founded on the Christian values I was raised with to try to bring all aspects of people together annually and that people would look forward to our festival like a family reunion. 

Families have their 'black sheep,' neighbors have their disagreements, and communities are full of division. Our culture tells us to focus on our self more than others. There are countless things that can easily pull us apart from one another. In contrast, the festival atmosphere chooses to focus on what draws us together; how we're better together.