For seven straight years, Brett Mosiman, director of the Wakarusa festival, asked rap/rock band The Roots to make the trip to Mulberry Mountain. For six straight years, the band's availability or tour route kept it away. But lucky number seven hit, and the group that doubles as the house band for "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" will make the stop this year to perform
Mosiman says that's a representation of the kind of talent -- and his dogged pursuit -- of performers for the festival, which takes place Thursday through June 7 on the Mulberry Mountain event grounds in rural Franklin County.
FAQ
Wakarusa
WHEN — Thursday through June 7
WHERE — Mulberry Mountain event grounds, located about 15 miles north of Ozark on Arkansas 23
COST — $204 for a four-day pass; $705 for a four-day VIP pass; other ticket options available
INFO — wakarusa.com
FYI
Travel Note
A mudslide just to the north of the Wakarusa festival grounds has closed Arkansas 23 indefinitely. All patrons attempting to access the festival must do so from the south.
Wakarusa released the following statement:
“The Arkansas Highway Department has released an official statement that (Arkansas) 23 north of Mulberry Mountain will be closed until further notice. Due to a landslide affecting the road clearance, all festival traffic will need to utilize Interstate 40 to (Arkansas) 23 at Ozark to access the festival site.
The North Toll at (Arkansas) 23 and (Arkansas) 16 will be closed and all resources and staff will be moved to the South Toll. The number of check lanes will be increased to accommodate the additional traffic. Wakarusa organizers expect minimal impact from the road closure and expect the detour to take an additional 20-30 minutes.
It is extremely important for Wakarusa patrons to use (Arkansas) 23 from Interstate 40 near Ozark. All patrons coming from the north should remain on I-49 to I-40 East to (Arkansas) 23. GPS devices may suggest alternative routes from the north. These will likely be logging or utility roads that are impassable by regular cars or are dead ends. All festival traffic needs to utilize Interstate 40 to (Arkansas) 23 at Ozark to access the site.”
"By far, it's our biggest lineup ever," says Mosiman, who also produces concerts at The Crossroads KC venue in Kansas City, Mo., and books the talent for festivals such as Thunder on the Mountain and Phases of the Moon. Lineups mean different things to different people, and he's counting by an easy-to-measure metric -- the amount of money spent on talent. Also performing this year are world music meets electronics act Thievery Corporation, instrumental jam band STS9, soulful rockers Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals and electronic pop crossover project Major Lazer.
Both Thievery Corporation and Ben Harper appeared at the 2011 edition of the music festival. Mosiman says a poll of his staff members told him Thievery Corporation offered one of the best-ever Wakarusa sets, so he jumped at the chance to get the band back. Harper was touring with a backing band called the Relentless7 four years ago. When he announced he would be on the road with his original band The Innocent Criminals, the one he was with when he shot to fame, "we didn't want to pass up that opportunity," Mosiman says.
Although festival staples such as STS9 and Umphrey's McGee perform nearly every year, and a few of the headliners are familiar, Mosiman says only 50 percent of the bands on the roster have performed at a previous Wakarusa festival.
And "we might have more first-time bands than ever before," he says.
About 100 sets of music will be offered during the four-day event, or five days counting those who buy an early entrance pass that grants Wednesday access to the festival site. There are six live music stages within the Wakarusa event grounds, and they often operate simultaneously.
The bands booked for the event span the globe, but many are local, including Coyote Union, Shawn James & The Shapeshifters and Vintage Pistol, the latter of which won a battle of the bands competition at George's Majestic Lounge for the honor of a spot on stage.
The rural Franklin County mountainside transforms into its own village during the event, with numerous camping areas, including the Riverside campsite, which runs along the nearby Mulberry River. The adjacent Riverside music stage allows festival participants to watch live music while they float by on innertubes.
The surrounding national forest grounds provides other outdoor opportunities such as hiking, biking, fishing or swimming.
"It's a natural wonderland down there," Mosiman says.
Many festivalgoers bring their own food and beverages to the campsites, but about 50 food booths compete for hungry stomachs. Additionally, approximately 100 vendors sell everything from artwork to sandals to toiletries that campers forgot to pack.
Volunteer opportunities for Wakarusa remain, as they do for Thunder on the Mountain, the country-themed festival held on the same grounds beginning on June 26.
NAN What's Up on 05/29/2015