When thinking about music festivals, the perennial ones tend to come to mind first. Coachella, Bonnaroo, Pitchfork, and Lollapalooza are only some of the popular festivals in the United States. But, did you know that a music festival with some bigger names attached comes once a year to southern Ohio?
The Nelsonville Music Festival is hosted yearly and is returning in 2024 from July 26th-28th for a weekend of music and fun. As the name suggests, the festival takes place in Nelsonville—which is a quick 25-minute drive away from Athens—at the Snow Fork Event Center, which includes an overnight campground for anyone staying for multiple days who needs a place to set up and call home for a few nights. Being situated right outside of the Wayne National Forest, the festival grounds is surrounded by lush, verdant trees and grassy fields, making for the perfect hangout spot for a music festival.
As for the artists who show up to the Nelsonville Music Festival, the festival usually invites more alt-leaning artists to show up and perform. In 2023, some of the main headliners included Kurt Vile, Shannon and the Clams, Alex G, Big Thief, and Alvvays, who are popular acts within alternative music fanbases and have carried a following for years. Like other major music festivals, different artists perform on different days and times, so be sure to find the ones you want to see and create a schedule for yourself based around that.
Beyond the music, the Nelsonville Music Festival also offers plenty of food truck options and also features a market area where local vendors and makers are able to set up shop with their wares, showcasing the talent that resides within the southeastern Ohio community for all to see as they come through between sets.
All in all, if you’re a fan of alternative music and the idea of a music festival set in sprawling fields in rural Ohio sounds like a good time to you, the Nelsonville Music Festival is something you won’t want to miss out on attending for at least 1 of their 3 days of performances.