Large music festival coming to Ozark area

The City Wire has learned that Wakarusa, a large “music and camping festival," has relocated its venue from Lawrence, Kan., to Ozark for its June 2009 festival. The four-day festival will be held north of Ozark at the Mulberry Mountain Ranch.

The news comes from Susan McIlroy-Stokes, director of the Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce, who says the event will draw thousands to the area. Wakarusa officials have estimated that as many as 15,000 people attend the annual music event.

“This will be huge for us,” Stokes said Wednesday (Dec. 10). “This is a popular festival. I can’t imagine what this will do for businesses in this area.”

What is Wakarusa? According to the Wakarusa web site, it’s this: “The Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival is a 4-day foot-stomping party in the heart of the Midwest. Born in 2004, Wakarusa burst onto the scene with a diverse and eclectic lineup featuring over 70 artists. The 2004 and 2005 bills perked the interest of both devout and casual music fans alike. Fans that made the trip to Wakarusa left with unforgettable stories of the music and the beautiful surroundings. In 2006, Wakarusa returned and quickly established itself as a premiere, grassroots event in the nationwide outdoor music scene. Attracting folks from all 50 U.S. States and 5 countries, the 2006 event featured over 100 artists, 7 stages and over 4 days of non-stop music and entertainment. The 2007 and 2008 events again featured over 100s of artists and drew attendees from all 50 U.S. States and several countries. 2009 will mark the 6th Anniversary of Wakarusa.”

Past performers have included James McMurtry, Los Lonely Boys, Drive By Truckers, Spoon, BR-549 and — the new official favorite band name among The City Wire staffers — Four Fried Chickens and a Coke.