Smiling Acres Music Festival 2024

was this year ...
and We had the opportunity to go!

Being from Michigan we thought we were well versed on ‘all things Michigan music’ but recently discovered Smiling Acres Music Festival.

So through town we traveled and as cell service started to diminish, diving deeper into the beautiful Michigan farmland country the roads become dirt-only and after a few GPS-trusting turns, we had arrived.

This year the festival was officially Friday through Sunday but they allowed Thursday night camping setup if you choose that option at registration. Consider this option if visiting in the future as there is a nice campfire vibe that has acoustic music and sets the right mood for a great weekend.

With so many artists we couldn’t have captured them all, but wow did we get to see some great performances. Musical acts included Smiling Acres’ own “Smiling Acres Bluegrass Band”, Patty Pershayla and the Mayhaps (which we’ve had the pleasure of working with previously. Check out those videos!), i.am.james, and so many more.

Taking a break from the music we visited many vendors who had differing products ranging from Tie-Dyes, Fairy Gardens, healing stones, puppets, glassware and some other just plain cool stuff. Truly a Hippie’s playground.

Finally, I’d be remiss to not mention the excellent food and the staff who make it. As some may not know the origin of this festival was family and friends who would annually get together for a 4th of July celebration which grew and after relocation for growth safety, was made public and this is now their 4th year being official. So why does that matter? Although there are other food vendors here, the primary one is run by the family and as Puff Peace was a sponsor this year, we were able to see more intimately the hustle and bustle behind-the-scenes that was required for us to all have a weekend full of fun. So hats off to the cooks, groundskeepers, and (overnight) security; the unsung heroes.

If you’re thinking of stopping by next year, remember this is a family-friendly festival with lots to offer, but sshhhh… we can’t let it get too big :))