Throughout Ohio, there are a surprising number of large and medium-sized music festivals. But only one was named by Billboard as “one of the U.S. festival circuit's best-kept secrets.”
Nelsonville Music Festival, or NMF, recently announced its full 2024 lineup and dates. The festival will take place July 26-28 at Snow Fork Event Center just outside of Nelsonville.
This year’s lineup will be headlined by Killer Mike of Run the Jewels, Courtney Barnett and Thee Sacred Souls, along with 42 other bands and artists. Barnett performed at NMF in 2016. Throughout the festival's 18-year history, it has hosted names such as Willie Nelson in 2009, Brandi Carlile in 2015 and Tyler Childers in 2017 as well as 2020.
Mackenzie Kucharsky, the marketing director for NMF, said in an email the festival does not try to stick to one genre for their lineups.
“NMF strives to curate a diverse, quality, and eclectic lineup,” she said in the email. “We believe any artist on our lineup, no matter what genre they may create in, fits within the curatorial vibe of the festival.”
Along with announcing the festival lineup, tickets for NMF also are now on sale. Options are available for weekend passes, camping passes and parking passes. Single-day passes will go on sale at a later date.
Weekend passes with a camping wristband currently start at $190, while a standard weekend pass is currently $160. Campsites range from hike-in, car and RV sites, with the prices being $75, $150 and $200 respectively. Parking is $100 for on-site and $25 for off-site with shuttle access.
“As a nonprofit arts organization in one of the economically poorest counties in Ohio, we do our very best to produce a festival that is accessible to everyone in our community,” Kucharsky said in an email.
Even though the majority of the lineup is touring bands, Ohio will have 11 acts represented at the festival. Maureen Joyce, singer and keyboardist for Cleveland-based punk band PAL, said she is excited for her first time playing at Nelsonville.
“It's really special, especially being an Ohio band,” she said. “To be a part of something so large for the whole state. Everyone knows about Nelsonville, and I really look forward to it every year.”
NMF is spread out between three stages on the Snow Fork Event Center grounds: Snow Fork, Porch and Creekside. The Creekside Stage is home to the Sycamore Sessions, which are stripped-down sets filmed by WOUB and the School of Media Arts and Studies. The Snow Fork Stage is host to the largest performances, while the Porch Stage holds smaller bands.
Also on festival grounds is a food court and Artist Village, which host craft and artisan vendors from throughout the region.
“Our food court will host around a dozen food vendors to satisfy a variety of taste buds,” said Kucharsky in an email. “Our vendor village will showcase an array of unique makers and small businesses from our region selling clothing, jewelry, ceramics, bath and body products and more.”
A full map of the festival grounds can be found here. Until 2022, the festival was held at Hocking College.
Greg Newton, associate dean of the Graduate College and yearly NMF attendee, said he has enjoyed Snow Fork as the new site.
“I’ve really gotten to appreciate the new venue,” he said. “I liked it when it was at the college and the different sorts of spaces and the different presentations of music there, but the Sycamore Sessions out back among the trees and the new mainstage setup just all works really nicely.”
Kucharsky said they expect growth in attendance at this year’s festival.
“We expect to attract 4,000+ attendees this year,” she said in an email. “We’re seeing a lot of folks who missed live music and community events, so the growth post-pandemic has been great.”
For those who wish to leave the grounds and come back at any time, wristbands are required for re-entry.
