Of Mud And Music

Wakarusa festival nearly a washout, but fans, fun forged on

Friday, December 20, 2013

By the numbers, Wakarusa’s 2013 edition was another banner year: 20,000-plus participants and more than 100 bands representing dozens of genres.

But other numbers likely will be remembered better, at least this year. During the four-day festival, several inches of rain fell, a tornado touched down about nine miles to the north, the festival gates closed seven times, and 600 to 800 tents were abandoned where they fell.

Extreme weather greeted festivalgoers, temporarily turning the pristine mountainside venue north of Ozark into a mudcovered quagmire. Bands such as The Black Crowes, Dispatch, Widespread Panic and Snoop Lion played. Several other concerts were stopped, delayed or canceled altogether. During one particularly ominous weather update, the festival was nearly called off entirely, says Brett Mosiman, festival director. Following two days of rain, forecasters predicted another nine inches would fall courtesy of one strong weather cell. Instead, heavier rain missed the area. The additional inch that fell on the grounds caused a bigger mess, but it did not bring with itthe event-canceling damage that was predicted.

“It was a challenging year, weather wise,” Mosiman says. “But that which does not kill us makes us stronger.”

Immediately following the conclusion of the festival, staff members had to prepare for the next event. Thunder on the Mountain made its debut on June 6, just four days after Wakarusa ended. Tons of gravel were dumped onto the festival site, and giant fans blew nearly nonstop in an attempt to dry the grounds, which were also covered with straw. Although still damp in spots, the location held up for the threeday country event, which starred Montgomery Gentry, Big & Rich, Luke Bryan and Toby Keith.

Mulberry Mountain would later host the annual Yonder Mountain String Band Harvest Music Festival, which took place in mid-October.

Rain also plagued campers there, but nowhere near as often as it did during Wakarusa.

In the months following that event, organizers have invested in additional changes to the festival grounds. Infrastructure improvements are numerous, Mosiman says, from upgrades to drainage and roads to building new housing for staff members.

Whats Up, Pages 14 on 12/20/2013