The controversy that faced Manchester Music Fest in its early years

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On the latest episode of Roots Music Rambler, @manchestermusicfest organizers Jess Bowman and Tim Parks share the controversy that challenged them in the first couple of years of the event’s existence. They joined RMR this week to talk about the challenges and perks of organizing a music festival.

Manchester Music Fest is coming up Labor Day Weekend in Manchester, Ky., and features acts like Brent Cobb, Nicholas Jamerson and The Morning Jays, Taylor Hunnicut, The Creekers, Bill Taylor & The Appalachian Heathens and many more. It is astonishingly free to attend.

Hear more on the full episode at rootsmusicrambler.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

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The Manchester Music Fest’s controversial beginnings, community and more

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Did you know there’s a music festival coming Labor Day weekend that features an incredible roster of singers, songwriters and bands in the Americana, country, folk and bluegrass space and the tickets to said event are absolutely free? You do now.

The Manchester Music Fest is in its seventh iteration in eight years (damnit, COVID) and has always been completely free to the public to attend. Yes, you have to get there. Manchester is a small little burg nestled in the heart of the Eastern Kentucky Appalachians. But it’s a short drive from Interstate 75 South from Lexington and North from Knoxville and is a community just bursting at the bit to welcome people to visit.

This year’s lineup (did we mention it’s free yet?):

Brent Cobb & the Fixin’s
Nicholas Jamerson & The Morning Jays
Taylor Hunnicut
The Creekers
Hollerhead
Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley
Bill Taylor & The Appalachian Heathens
Deep South
Scott T. Smith
Abe Partridge
Emily Jamerson
Roy Caudill
Stinky Pete
Spooky Fox
The Seas
Mayor of Shenanigans
Colby Sams

For free? Yes. Free.

Tim Parks and Jess Bowman are two of the people behind the Manchester Music Fest. They sat in with Falls this week to talk about the event, how they can pull this off without charging for tickets, booking artists and the impact of such an event on a small community.

In this segment, they talk the controversy behind the start of the festival, the community effort it takes to manage it all and more.

See more segments here on YouTube or listen to the full episode at RootsMusicRambler.com or wherever you get your podcasts.