MASON, Mich. — The 10th annual Sun Dried Music Festival is happening this weekend in Mason after it was canceled last year due to COVID-19.
"Two years ago, the last time we did this, some of my committee members had said that it was going to be their last year. Well, the rumor got twisted around that it was going to be the last year of the festival," said Leon Clark, president of the Sun Dried Music Festival, Inc. "So people were coming to me all the time and saying, 'You've got to keep this festival going. It's too awesome.'"
The festival brings in around 11,000 people to Mason and raises thousands of dollars each year to upgrade the electrical system downtown.
"That was one of the first problems we encountered in trying to do the festival, was that we were under-powered," Clark said.
That was when the Downtown Development Authority planned the event. After a few years, however, Clark created the nonprofit Sun Dried Music Festival Inc. and took over the music festival.
"This year's been particularly difficult because of what happened last year. Businesses weren't in any kind of a position to really step up to sponsor like they have in the past,"Clark said.
The festival relies on the support of sponsors and volunteers.
"Because of our financial stability, we decided that despite the lower number of sponsorships, we have to go forward anyway," Clark said.
Friday the festival starts at 6 p.m. and Saturday at noon. Both nights there will be a different band every hour until midnight.
In addition to the beverage tent, four food vendors and a kid's play area behind the courthouse, this year's festival will also have a craft show.
And you can also watch Clark himself rock out on the main stage at 4:30 p.m. Saturday with his band, Backwoods.
The free festival will wrap up Sunday morning with a community-wide church service on the courthouse lawn. The event is still accepting volunteers. For more information, click here.
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