MUTUAL – The Madden Road Music Fest takes place on Saturday, Aug. 13 from 2-10 p.m. on the old Madden Farm in Mutual. Madden Farm has been in the same family for seven generations and serves as the venue for the family’s micro music festival, which had paused during the pandemic.
Local singer-songwriter Daniel Dye hosts the festival along with his nieces and nephews, Andrew, Thomas, Carrie and Emilie Miller, who play locally as the Miller Road Band. The band features Dye’s original tunes using a mix of classical and folk instruments. Musicians based in central Ohio and beyond will take the stage with a mix of indie, folk, gospel, rock, and Americana roots music.
“After not holding the festival for a few years, it’s great to be back,” said Dye. “This event has been a way of coming together every year to not only listen to live music, but to play music together, and we’ve really missed that experience.”
The 2022 festival features a roster packed with established and emerging talent, as well as a lineup of family bands. The Castros, a husband-wife band, are based in Columbus and bring a blend of their respective cultures — Costa Rica and Ohio — to the stage. Blues musician Joe Waters will be featured on the Oak Stage, along with the classic sounds of regional favorites The American Landscape.
New to the festival is the Sweet Gum Acoustic Grove, featuring live music in the unusual and inspiring setting of the woods, where musicians will perform surrounded by trees in a location which also features an original sculpture created by Springfield artists Nate and Mandie Fleming. Also new this year is the music of The Pinkerton Raid, a band based in North Carolina with a fan base in central Ohio.
Bill Purk & Reed Jones of The Muleskinners and Bob Lucas & Chris Westhoff, all local legends in their own right, will be performing from the Oak and Pine Stages, respectively, and singer-songwriter Joelle Hochstedler will be bringing her smooth vocals back to the event in what has become a regular feature.
The Zach Whitney Show is also returning, showcasing Whitney’s powerful vocals and energetic style. 2022 will also highlight the performance of Doctor Chris Bingman, a master of the mandolin, who will be playing at the annual campfire toward the end of the festival.
Festival hosts Daniel Dye and the Miller Road Band will play two sets: a roster of acoustic tunes earlier in the day, before closing out the festival with a rousing set that will culminate in the annual tradition of leading the audience in a singalong from the Pine Stage.
A few pop-up acoustic performances from the extended Dye family will take place, as well as a lineup of interactive workshops. Basic folk dancing, native tree-planting, and Interactive Bluegrass with Bill Purk are scheduled. Walking trails on the farm, singing around the campfire, and painting a communal mural to commemorate the 2022 event are all part of the Madden Road Music Fest.
Festival sponsors Hemisphere Coffee Roasters will be on hand with their menu of blended drinks and coffees. The lineup of food vendors includes Chido’s Tacos, the Christian Brothers, and the Madden Farm Food Stand, all providing fresh, locally-sourced food ranging from fresh tacos to grilled pizza, and more.
Family or individual admission can be purchased at the festival. Free on-site parking is available. For more information call 937-244-6481 or go to www.maddenfarm.com.
