Greenfield Music Festival set for June 7-9

The Highland County Press and
https://greenfieldmusicfestival.org

The 2024 Greenfield Music Festival is set for June 7-9 in Greenfield. Opening ceremonies will be 4 p.m. Friday, June 7 with a welcoming from board members and the singing of the national anthem by Sean Poole. The queens pageant will be 5-7 p.m. Friday, June 7.

Other festival attractions and events include an antique tractor show, car and bike show, parade, baby contest, 10K, 5K and one-mile runs at Felson Park, beer garden, food vendors, a kids zone and of course, plenty of music. 

This year's featured entertainment includes Violet Aquarium from 4-5 p.m. Friday, June 7; Naked Karate Girls on the main stage at 8 p.m. Friday, June 7; and Jess Kellie Adams is on the main stage at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, June 8. 

Naked Karate Girls are from Cincinnati. From chart-topping hits to iconic classics, Naked Karate Girls deliver a high-octane show that'll have you dancing all night long. Join the party and experience the magic of NKG – where every note is a punch of adrenaline and every beat is a kick of pure excitement. Don't miss your chance to rock out with the Naked Karate Girls. It's guaranteed to be a night you won't forget. 

Adams is an emerging Nashville country artist with a powerful voice, blending classic country styling with a rock and roll edge. Adams has been working with some of the biggest names in country music, like the legendary Dean Sams of Lonestar, to bring her sound and unique styling to fans around the country in a show that blends favorites from the 1990s and 2000s with her own original music. 

On Sunday, June 9, local band Dumbfounded will perform from 1-3 p.m., and Greenfield native Sean Poole and Buckin' Crazy will perform from 4-6 p.m. 

Poole and Buckin' Krazy are a dynamic country music group that has carved out a unique niche in the world of country and southern rock. Poole is a talented singer and songwriter known for his soulful baritone and compelling storytelling, and the band embodies the spirit of small-town America with a sound that is raw, authentic and deeply resonant. Poole's knack for crafting lyrics that speak to the heart and soul of everyday experiences has earned him a loyal fanbase, who resonate with his powerful narratives of love, loss and life in the American Midwest.

Buckin' Krazy, Poole's backing band, brings an unmatched energy and musical prowess that perfectly complements Poole's vocals. Composed of seasoned musicians who are masters of their craft, Buckin' Krazy adds a mix of honky-tonk, classic rock, and blues influences to the traditional country foundation, creating a sound that's as eclectic as it is engaging.

Other performers include: Jeremy Barnhart, 10-11 a.m. Saturday, June 8; Steven Dowd, 11 a.m.-noon Saturday, June 8; Brock Howard, noon-1 p.m. Saturday, June 8; Levi Fraley, 3-4:30 p.m. Saturday, June 8; and Filo Bleddoe, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 8. 

There will be a community church service from 11 a.m.-noon Sunday, June 9. Modern Movement Dancers will perform from noon-1 p.m. Sunday, June 9.

Festival history

The Greenfield Music Festival started as the Greene Countrie Towne Festival in 1967, when the main feature was an antique and classic car show. The group responsible for that car show was the Greenfield Antique Car Club, a group that is still active in 2023. In the early days, other organizations such as the Greenfield Jaycees, Lions, and Rotary clubs sponsored other activities, such as the Rotary Club’s putt-putt booth. Over time, the festival became more organized, with a committee and the name Greene Countrie Towne Festival. 

The name is based on a description of Greenfield by its founder, Gen. Duncan McArthur, who used the old English spelling in describing Greenfield as a "Greene Countrie Towne," which hearkens back to Greenfield's rich history dating from its founding in 1799.  

Through the 1970s, the festival grew quite large and became a three-day and even four-day event. The peak year for the Greene Countrie Towne Festival was 1985, which featured many additional events and attractions, including hot-air balloon rides, a demonstration by Frisbee-catching dogs, and even a souvenir program. The 1985 Greene Countrie Towne Festival attracted huge crowds, but lost money. In 1986, the festival’s featured event was a rodeo, and staging that was rather expensive. 

Then, the unthinkable happened on the third weekend of July when thunderstorms rolled through the area and spoiled the attendance. 

As a result, the festival suffered a great financial loss, and the committee shut down, unable to pay the costs of putting on the rain-soaked festival. In 1987, when it became apparent that there would no longer be a Greene Countrie Towne Festival, the Greenfield Rotary Club stepped up and put on a one-day festival utilizing all-volunteer entertainment and a very simple format. After a few years, the festival was expanded to three days and was given the name "Wheels of Progress Festival." 

The Greenfield Rotary Club continued to sponsor the event, and it has grown over the years to about the same size as the original Greene Countrie Towne Festival. In 2011, the Greenfield Rotary Club changed the name of the festival back to the Greene Countrie Towne Festival, as the community festival was known in the 1970s and 1980s before going defunct after the 1986 festival.

After 35 years of sponsoring the Greene Countrie Towne Festival, the Rotary Club of Greenfield decided to step down from the role of festival sponsor in October 2022. After a meeting of local community members and business owners, it was decided that the festival needed to continue, and then came the birth of a new organization. In November 2022, a new non-profit organization was officially formed, incorporating in January 2023. 

After several meetings and discussions about the changes that needed to be made to ensure the success of the new organization taking over the festival, the Greene Countrie Towne Festival was officially changed to the Greenfield Music Festival. When asked why the name was changed, the committee said that they wanted to honor Greenfield's musical roots. Aside from a name change, the date was also changed to the first full weekend in June.

Entry forms and information are available at https://greenfieldmusicfestival.org/.

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