The Nelsonville Music Festival ended on a high note Sunday with John Prine capturing the attention of hundreds of fans and first-time listeners.
Despite the festival’s date being moved up to late May after both Ohio University and Hocking College students had moved out of the dorms, attendance remained roughly the same, said Brian Koscho, marketing director for the festival.
“I know we’re right around the same range as last year for attendance, which is 5,000 to 6,000 (including volunteers and sponsors),” Koscho said. “The (college students) that are going to come will make the trip. With the change to semesters, moving into April was never really an option because of rain. I don’t think the change made much of an impact.”
Koscho added that there were benefits to having Hocking College students away during the setup for the festival because it meant they could start earlier than ever before.
Another goal of the festival was the Zero-Waste Initiative’s plans to decrease the percentage of waste going to landfills. This year the festival organizers were able to reach an 86 percent deferral rate, a 17 percent increase from last year.
“The goal is to reach a 90 percent deferral rate, the definition of a zero-waste program,” said Kyle O’Keefe, full-time staffer with the Rural Action Program. “To me (the Zero-Waste Initiative) has really become a part of the festival.”
Vendors were sold compostable plates and utensils at a cost from fest organizers in order to reach the goal.
Weather was not on the festival’s side this year as rain plauged performances on Friday and Saturday. Koscho said most of the power in Nelsonville was down on Friday, as was two of the three legs of Hocking College's electricity. The third leg remaining just happened to be the one that powered the main stage.
“It’s crazy, you spend all of this time planning and scheduling something and then something you have no control over happens,” Koscho said. “The tech crew was incredible because we were able to get all the acts in Friday night.”
Thursday was characterized by amazing local acts and headliner Gogol Bordello, and Saturday was all about the amazing performance of Wilco.
On Sunday, festgoers still packed in to see John Prine, who brought a refreshing set of storytelling songs. His lyrics brought a smile to everyone’s faces as he talked of love and loss in the most in-your-face way.
David Wax Museum also surprised many people with Latin rhythms that got everyone in the pit on their feet and dancing. Once the performance was over and the band had left the stage, a handful of attendees continued to sing the refrain from the final song — “Oh I know it’s going to get harder before it gets easier.”
After nine years of the festival, it might be getting easier to bring quality music to the hills of southern Ohio.
wh092010@ohiou.edu
