Ozark Mountain Music Festival Returns to Eureka Springs

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Horshoes & Hand Grenades, a high-energy progressive bluegrass jam band, are headlining Saturday evening at the Ozark Mountain Music Festival this weekend in Eureka Springs at the Basin Park Hotel.

The weekend of Jan. 19, the Ozark Mountain Music Festival will return to Basin Park Hotel in Eureka Springs, Ark., and attempt to bring with it the atmosphere — and attitude — of a summer music festival.

Coming in on its fourth year, Ozark Mountain Music Fest — popularly referred to as OzMoMu now — is now in its stride as the town’s winter progressive string band festival. The festival will have 11 bands featured throughout four nights at the Basin Park “Barefoot” Ballroom main stage and the Ozark room acoustic stage.

The festival normally expects about 250 to 300 in attendance, and it has sold out every year, said Mary Howze, the activities coordinator at the Basin Park Hotel.

“The festival is so unique and fun because it’s so intimate,” Howze said. “We have food, drinks and music all at one place and you get to hang out with the bands and the guests. There’s no backstage, so you’re all there together.”

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The festival’s music is all about the indie-folk, progressive bluegrass genre. The music is a kind of bluegrass and folk that calls upon several influences and brings the kind of jam band energy that gets crowds stompin’ and hollerin’ along.

This year’s lineup features lots of great talent from the Midwest and the region, and two of Fayetteville’s very own. The featured headliners consist of Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, Grateful Dead tribute band Schwag, one-man-band AJ Gaither, ClusterPluck, High Plains Jamboree, Sad Daddy, Ponder the Albatross, The Fried Pies and Fast Food Junkies. Local favorites The Squarshers and Rozenbridge are also featured players, and the former is headlining Friday night and the latter will be playing the traditional bloody mary brunch Sunday at noon.

“We’re really excited to have Horseshoes & Hand Grenades,” Howze said. “They’re progressive high energy bluegrass music. I caught them live in Frisco, Colorado and I thought they had a really great vibe. Everyone was dancing along and it looked perfect for us.”

For the first time at the festival this year, there will be a few vendors set up with their wares in the ballroom. There will be a glitter decoration booth from Eureka Spring’s Main Street program, Road trip Market from Eagle Rock will be selling jewelry and ponchos and Mystical Makings will be selling homemade crystals and jewelry.

“The festival-style atmosphere makes the Basin Park Hotel abuzz with activity and being immersed in an atmosphere that encourages eating, drinking and dancing in one indoor, central location that has an outdoor festival grounds feel, per se,” said Jack Moyer, general manager and vice-president of operations for the 1905 Basin Park Hotel.

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AJ Gaither is a one man band from Kansas City, Mo. He’s built most of the instrument he plays on, and written all of his own soulful, bluesy songs about hard whiskey living and being homesick.

The Barefoot Ballroom has a rich history of live music, and Ozark Mountain is a new tradition for the venue. The ballroom hosts the annual Eureka Springs Blues Festival, and it also hosted a 10 year reunion show for rock n’ roll legends The Band.

Also new this year, the ballroom has been decorated with an art installation of streamers, strung lights and more to make for a dreamier, cozier experience during the festival.

The setting at Basin Park also makes for easy on-foot access to the 21 bars of downtown Eureka Springs to visit in between sets at attendees’ pleasure, Howze said.

The festival starts on Thursday, Jan. 19 as a locals night with Schwag at 8 p.m. that will be followed by an open jam session for all with an instrument. There’s a $10 entry fee that night, but anyone who brings an instrument Thursday night gets in free.

In general, guests are encouraged to bring their instruments with the intention of spurring impromptu jam sessions at the hotel. After the headliners finish their set each night, there will be group jams scheduled for everyone to join in on.

Tickets are on sale at ozarkmountainmusicfestival.com. Four day all-access passes are $55, and lodging packages for the weekend start at $459 including a food voucher and other fees. Single day tickets can be bought as well.

“I’ve always enjoyed hosting Ozark Mountain Music Festival and being surrounded by it and the community that surrounds it,” Howze said. “We’re making people happy, it’s fun and easy.”

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