The highly anticipated Nelsonville Music Festival attracted thousands of music and festival enthusiasts for its 20th annual celebration last weekend. Many chose to camp on-site and enjoy the four days of activities and music, while others purchased a day pass to enjoy the Thursday acts.
The Mystery Lights perform the final set on the Porch Stage at the 2026 Nelsonville Music Festival at Snow Fork Event Center in Buchtel, Ohio, June 20, 2026.
Camping wristbands were priced at $30, and car campsites were $150, including the Loud and Quiet Mudville, based on campers' sleeping and noise preferences. Single-day passes started at $60 for those aged 13-17, and $120 for adults. Visitors 12 years old and younger received free entry.
The festival opened its doors Wednesday afternoon for those who wished to arrive early and set up camp. Brandon Reisig, an Ohio-based multi-instrumentalist and electronic recording artist, was the first to perform Wednesday on the Mudville Stage. He was followed by The Animeros from Austin, Texas, with their blend of Colombian and Texan sound.
The festival split their performances across four stages: Howard’s Stage, Porch Stage, Creekside Stage and Mudville Stage.
Many took the time to lounge and refresh on the hammocks at Creekside Stage while listening to artists like Anna Tivel and S.G. Goodman. Izzy Stitchick, a camper from Cleveland, Ohio, said she brought materials to paint with this year.
“We love to sit by the Creekside stage and just craft and do our little things all day,” Stitchick said. “Then we go crazy at night.”
Stitchick said Nelsonville Music Festival is “a hidden gem,” and has been attending for five years. She said her boyfriend is a musician, and his friends highly recommended the festival to them.
“We went, and it was really awesome,” Stitchick said. “Now we just recruit all of our friends, and we come every year. It's just like a big college reunion, and it’s great.”
Stitchick moved last year from Athens after graduating from Ohio University and is staying an extra year. The Nelsonville Music festival isn’t just a college reunion; it’s also an Athens reunion for all of Stitchick’s close friends.
Stitchick said she was looking forward to Big Freedia, the hip-hop artist known for her New Orleans bounce music, Friday night. For Saturday, Stitchick said Fruit Bats had all her attention as well.
After their years of celebrating the Nelsonville Music Festival, Stitchick said their group only brings cold foods and a cooler, along with their crafts and books.
Some people prefer to sleep indoors, but still would like to enjoy the full weekend of music and events. Sam Collins and Isaac Spottk drove from New York and decided to stay in an Airbnb nearby. Spottk’s aunt and uncle attended the festival before and decided to bring along Spottk and Collins.
Spottk said he was looking forward to seeing Geese and said he wanted to get up close to see Cameron Winter, the lead singer. Geese performed at 9:30 p.m. on Howard’s Stage on Thursday with songs like “I See Myself” and “Cobra.”
Collins said they were anticipating Wednesday’s performance on Howard’s Stage at 7:30, before Geese. The alternative country band is from South Carolina, and performed on the Creekside Stage during the 2023 Nelsonville Music Festival.
As for the environment and atmosphere of the festival, Collins said he liked the experience so far and compared it to a Renaissance fair.
“I went to the Fairy Festival last summer, so it all reminds me of that,” Spottk said.
Amanda Detlor and Eva Bennett came as vendors to the festival and set up their handmade creations in the same booth. Detlor is from Marietta, Ohio, and was selling her bolo ties, badge reels and intricate polymer clay jewelry. Bennet put out her functional, colorful ceramic cups and plates, complete with straws and straw cleaners.
Detlor said this is her fourth time at the Nelsonville Music Festival, and her second time as a vendor.
“It's just awesome,” Detlor said. “I love coming here. I loved it, not being a vendor. I just love it; the vibes are awesome, and everybody is super nice.”
A member of The Amazing Giants performing group sways in the air on a pole during the 2026 Nelsonville Music Festival at Snow Fork Event Center in Buchtel, Ohio, June 19, 2026.
For those interested in attending the 2027 Nelsonville Music Festival, make sure to visit the Nelsonville Music Festival website or email info@nelsonvillefest.org for more information.
