Announcements
A Big Thank You goes out to the Performers, Volunteers and Audience for their part in making the 35th Annual MidSummer Bluegrass Festival such an enjoyable musical experience!
Please note that performers will be announced soon on this website for the 36th Annual MidSummer Bluegrass Festival, to be held July 24, 25, 26, & 27, 2025, at the Cozy Cove in Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin.
2025 Headliner Larry Stephenson and His Band
Playing Bluegrass, Gospel, Traditional Country, Americana and Folk music.
“Larry Stephenson has always been one of the great professionals in bluegrass music, and I'm proud to call him a friend! These days, he's working with one of the best bands in the business, and this new collection, long in the works, has proven well worth the wait.” – Kyle Cantrell, BanjoRadio.com
2025 Feature Artist Mark Prater & Cedar Creek
The Cedar Creek band brings together some of the best pickers and harmonies you will find in bluegrass today!
They are a southern Michigan traditional Bluegrass band that strives to make good music and entertain the audience.
2025 Feature Artist New Riverside Ramblers
The high-spirited Cajun dance music of the New Riverside Ramblers comes from the rich musical heritage of the bayous and prairies of south Louisiana. The band covers a spectrum from old-style fiddle tunes, lively two-steps, soulful waltzes, gritty blues to rockin' honky-tonk sounds – all the sounds from the dance halls and back porches of rural Louisiana.
Celebrate Bluegrass Music With Good Friends
The Midsummer Bluegrass Festival provides a longstanding, annual opportunity in a natural, intimate setting to enjoy Bluegrass. Often flying under the radar in comparison to various pop brands of music, the premise behind this Bluegrass Show is the belief that by developing a taste for Bluegrass Music, you can set your quality of life apart to a higher degree by acquiring its appreciation. Bluegrass is sometimes referred to as that “happy” music because of the pep emoting from many of its tunes—so fun to toe-tap or dance to!
Those were some happy times when Bill Monroe (see picture above) founder of the original American art form, Bluegrass Music, stepped onto the Cove Cove grounds with his Bluegrass Boys, to perform on July 28, 1991. For more than 30 years since, everyone from tourists to camp counselors to bluegrass aficionados, could count on traveling to Manitowish Waters to see live bluegrass acts perform from all over the country (view this years Lineup/Schedule and also the Festival Archive to see list of Bill Monroe Bluegrass Boys who have performed on the Cozy Cove stage over the years, a mark of a true Bluegrass Festival).
You are invited to be part of Bluegrass history by attending the longest standing continuous annual Bluegrass Festival in the state of Wisconsin, the 36th Annual Midsummer Bluegrass Festival.
Patrons have also appreciated diversions in musical taste by including a limited number of performances from cousin genres such as jambase, blues, Texas Swing, rock, roots, Americana, acoustic jazz, Cajun and Celtic (press link Lineup/Schedule to see how the Lineup develops). Your suggestions for acts to perform at the festival are always appreciated.
Remember to bring your kayaks, canoes, bicycles or walking shoes. In between sets you may choose an excursion on the paved trail across the street from the festival grounds. There's 45 miles+ of winding trail through the beautiful Northwoods waiting for you. There are also swimming holes and waterfalls to discover within a relatively short drive from the festival.
Visit ManitowishWaters.org for a comprehensive list of fun opportunities in the area.