Wild Hare Countryfest Helps Continue Texas Music’s Expansion
Texas music and independent country continue to gain market share and offer a better, and more healthy alternative to the mainstream, and we’re continuing to see this reflected in the ever-expanding festival space. Along with new festivals such as Mile 0 Fest in Key West, Florida, the Tumbleweed Festival near Kansas City, a new festival in Oregon is gearing up for its inaugural year to offer the Pacific Northwest their first taste of the Texas festival experience, along with hosting a slew of regional artists.
Called the Wild Hare Country Festival, it’s set to take place July 20th and 21st, 2018 at the Pat’s Acres Racing Complex in Canby, Oregon, about 20 minutes outside of Portland. With headliners such as The Randy Rogers Band, Whiskey Myers, William Clark Green, and Saving Country Music 2017 Song of the Year winner Sunny Sweeney, the Wild Hare Fest isn’t just dipping its toes in the water, it’s taking a plunge.
“There is a revolution happening in country music that is centered around real deal, honest, heartfelt songwriting and performances that resonate with true country fans,” says festival co-founder Joan Monen. She is also the proprietor of the Wild Hare Saloon, which operates two locations in the area, and has been booking similar acts in their establishments. They’ve also been promoting a tribute band festival called Harefest with the production company True West. So even though Wild Hare is in its inaugural year, they aren’t new to the festival game. “Our customers have been asking for this for years, and we are excited to deliver!”
And this won’t just be a Texas/Red Dirt invasion. The West Coast and Pacific Northwest will be well represented. Saving Country Music Album of the Year nominee Jaime Wyatt from Los Angeles will be performing, as will Darci Carlson who just released a new, self-titled album, along with Brass Tacks from Oregon, and The Lowdown Drifters from Washington State, and West Coasters Redwood Son. Greg Payne & The Piedmont Boys from South Carolina will also be representing country music from east of the Mississippi.
As independent artists from Texas and beyond look to expand their scope and find new fans beyond regional borders, events like with Wild Hare Fest is how they will do it. Camping and RV Parking will also be available. For more information visit WildHareCountryfest.com .
May 7, 2018 @ 6:53 pm
That’s a really good lineup.
May 7, 2018 @ 6:58 pm
Going to Whiskey Myers show in Greensboro!
May 7, 2018 @ 7:30 pm
Wow – the Great Pacific Northwest is in for a treat! We DO grow some good independent country music artists down here in the Lone Star state. Glad to see other states scrambling to book these new festivals. I’m looking forward to my third Lone Star Jam festival later this month in Austin.
May 7, 2018 @ 8:41 pm
That is a HELL of a lineup! Red Dirt madness! I’ll have to try to get to this festival. ????
May 7, 2018 @ 8:45 pm
I have friends in Portland who would definitely let me stay with them and would also enjoy this fest. A chance of a lifetime for some of my friends in the Northwest who are genuine country fans. This is very cool indeed. ????
May 7, 2018 @ 9:44 pm
Live in the area, kinda shitty 21+ though.
May 7, 2018 @ 10:13 pm
This is going to be the greatest musica event since I moved out here. Love it!
May 8, 2018 @ 10:22 am
the consolation prize for not winning a chance to buy $30 tickets to jason aldean playing a promotional show at a 1200 person venue in the midwest, was free ($15 face value) tickets at the same venue for a bill headlined by wild hare countryfest artist william clark green. hashtag you can’t always get what you want.
May 8, 2018 @ 10:25 am
How many people do they expect to get, what is capacity of this place?
May 8, 2018 @ 11:02 am
I believe they said they will stop ticket sales at 3,000. Not sure what the sales are at the moment, or what to expect. Hard to determine with a first year festival.
May 8, 2018 @ 6:17 pm
Wish there would be some festivals near the Western NC area or East Tennessee. Or Eastern Kentucky. Never been to a festival. They sound fun
May 8, 2018 @ 7:00 pm
Messer, if you’re close to Wilkesboro, there’s always MerleFest.
May 10, 2018 @ 10:09 am
Awesome. Great line-up and I love to see these festivals popping up all over the country. Oregon is the perfect place for something like this.