Local five-day festival features riverside music

The music scene in Mount Pleasant will be filled to the brim this week with a festival and rockin’ river.

Midwest Fest started its second year of bringing talented bands from all over to Mount Pleasant, while WMHW 91.5 is hosting “91.5 Rocks the River.”

Midwest Fest

Midwest Fest was started last year by Diamonds in the Rough Promotions. It’s first year brought approximately 500 people to see 34 bands. This year the number of bands has nearly doubled.

Starting Tuesday night and ending Saturday, 62 bands will perform on four different stages throughout Mount Pleasant all located within three blocks downtown.

Corey Densmore, who started DITR Promotions, said this year he is planning Midwest Fest on a much bigger scale.

“We’re bringing in bands from outside the Midwest this summer, last year it was just the Midwest. It’s still a majority Midwest, but some of the headliners are from outside the Midwest,” he said.

Densmore said DITR has brought bands in many genres, hoping to appeal to all markets.

“There’s something for everybody. Each night has a little bit of a theme,” he said.

Densmore said something else can be used as a motivator to come out to watch the shows: They are extremely cheap.

“If you came the whole week, it’s 50 cents a band. It’s 60 bands for $30, so you’re getting a really good deal,” he said. “Even if you come for just one night, you are seeing about 10 bands for around $10 or less.”

Midwest Fest will take place at Rubbles Bar, 112 W. Michigan St., the Broadway Theater, 216 E. Broadway Road, Fifi’s French Press, 203 W. Broadway Road, and an outdoor stage located at the intersection of Main and Michigan downtown.

Visit ditrpromotions.com/midwestfest for more information on times and costs of performances.

91.5 Rock’s the River

WMHW 91.5 is bringing live music and giveaways to Millpond Park, 607 S. Adams St., from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. this Sunday.

Wayne Blanchard, 91.5′s promotions director, said the event started as an idea to have live music playing for those tubing down the river but they decided to change it because of the uncertainty of the weather.

“I still imagine there will be some people tubing,” the LeRoy sophomore said.

Blanchard said “The Color of California” will be performing and “That Mustache Feeling” will also be performing.

He explained “The Color of California” as, “Both an indie and alternative rock band” and “That Mustache Feeling” as a ska band.

Both will be performing in Midwest Fest and Blanchard said he hopes many people coming to Midwest Fest stay an extra night to enjoy the afternoon at the park.

“People can show up and enjoy music 91.5 supports and provides,” he said.

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