Highlonesome Heritage Music Foundation

THE HIGHLONESOME MUSIC FESTIVAL (HMF) IS AN INCLUSIVE, FAMILY FRIENDLY, ALL-AGES OUTDOOR FESTIVAL. HMF PROVIDES THREE DAYS OF HIGH-QUALITY PROFESSIONAL MUSICAL PERFORMANCES, CHILDREN'S MUSIC AND ART WORKSHOPS, VISUAL ARTS VENDORS AND YOGA AND WELLNESS ACTIVITIES. OPPORTUNITIES ARE PROVIDED FOR ALL ATTENDEES TO ACCESS POTTERY WHEELS AND NATURAL PIGMENTS, PAINTS AND DYES. EVENTS INCLUDE A MUSICAL FOREST HIKE WITH BUSKERS PLAYING MUSIC ALONG THE TRAILS, A GUIDED HISTORY OF OZARKS HERITAGE MUSIC HIKE FEATURING THE TRADITIONAL SONGS OF THE OSAGE AND SCOTTISH AND IRISH IMMIGRANTS, A SONG-WRITING COMPETITION, CAMPFIRE-SIDE MUSICAL COLLABORATIVE JAMS FOR ALL ATTENDEES AND A STORY-TELLING EVENT. THE EVENT SHALL BE HELD AT DOCKLEY RANCH, AN OUTDOOR MUSIC VENUE IN DOUGLAS COUNTY, MO. THE VENUE IS BUILT FROM AN ORIGINAL 1860'S HOMESTEAD, RECONFIGURED INTO A STAGE, A DINING AREA, AND SEVERAL PUBLIC GATHERING SPACES. THE STAGE LEVERAGES THE NATURAL ACOUSTICS OF THE 250 YEAR OLD WHITE OAK TREE THAT REACHES OVER THE PERFORMANCE SPACE IN A NATURAL AMPHITHEATER. THE VENUE IS FLANKED BY ROLLING NATURAL VISTAS AND A PASTURE POPULATED BY A FAMILY OF NIGERIAN DWARF GOATS AND WANDERING ALPACAS. DOCKLEY RANCH FEATURES 60 ACRES OF TRAILS, CREEKS, A WATERFALL AND SEVERAL INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP CAMPSITES. 2024 WILL MARK THE THIRD YEAR OF HMF. ATTENDANCE INCREASED FROM 200 TO 275 IN YEAR TWO. BASED ON DIGITAL SURVEYS SENT TO HMF ATTENDEES OF YEARS ONE AND TWO, FESTIVAL GOERS HAVE ESPECIALLY APPRECIATED THE INCLUSIVE NATURE OF THE EVENT, THE HIGH QUALITY OF THE MUSICAL PERFORMANCES, THE CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES AND PLAYGROUND, AND THE INTERACTIVE NATURE OF THE FESTIVAL, WHICH ENCOURAGES PERFORMERS TO CAMP AT THE VENUE AND PARTICIPATE IN THE MYRIAD OF ACTIVITIES FEATURED OVER THE THREE DAY EVENT. THE GOAL OF THE HIGHLONESOME MUSIC FESTIVAL (HMF) IS TO FEATURE RELEVANT, PROFESSIONAL MUSICAL PERFORMANCES REPRESENTATIVE OF A BROAD SWATH OF OZARK HERITAGE MUSIC, BOTH HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY. THE HHMF TALENT ACQUISITION COMMITTEE (TAC) SEEKS ARTISTS WITH A DEPTH OF UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF THE MUSIC OF THE REGION AS WELL AS A POLISHED AND EXPERIENCED PERFORMING RESUME. IN 2023, THE HIGHLONESOME MUSIC FESTIVAL, THROUGH A $1,900 GRANT FROM THE DOUGLAS COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, PROVIDED SCHOLARSHIPS TO THE CHILDREN'S OZARK HERITAGE MUSIC WORKSHOP, A CHILDREN'S MUSIC HISTORY HIKE AND A SONGWRITING WORKSHOP WITH "BANJO JACK" BOWDEN. THIS FUNDING PROVIDED FREE ENTRY TO THE FESTIVAL FOR 24 DOUGLAS COUNTY RESIDENTS. WE AIM TO INCREASE THAT NUMBER THIS YEAR TO 35 BY WORKING WITH THE OZARK STRINGS PROJECT IN AVA. WE RECEIVED A $3000 DONATION THIS YEAR FROM A KC COMPANY TOWARDS FUNDING HA HA TONKA, THIS YEAR'S SATURDAY NIGHT HEADLINING BAND. THE MISSOURI MYCOLOGICAL SOCIETY DONATED THE TIME AND EXPERTISE OF SEVERAL OF THEIR MEMBERS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE FREE MUSHROOM FORAYS INTO THE WOODS DURING THE MUSICAL FOREST AS MUSICIANS PLAYED AT DESIGNATED PLACES ALONG THE TRAILS. ARTISTS FROM SQUARE PEG POTTERY IN COLUMBIA, MO HAVE DONATED SEVERAL PIECES OF MUSIC THEMED CERAMIC ART TO PROVIDE TO PERFORMING MUSICIANS AT THE FESTIVAL. OTHER COMMUNITY SUPPORT INCLUDES PARTNERSHIPS WITH NATURE-BASED ARTS ORGANIZATIONS LIKE WILDARTS LEARNING IN ROGERSVILLE, MO, AND HARTSBEND STUDIO IN HARTVILLE, MO. THEY PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FESTIVAL ATTENDEES TO PRODUCE ART DURING THE EVENT WITH ONSITE POTTERY WHEELS AND NATURE-BASED PIGMENTS AND PAINTS. THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL FARMERS' MARKETS, HHMF GIVES OUT FESTIVAL PASSES AND RECRUITS VOLUNTEERS (WE WORK WITH OVER 30 VOLUNTEERS FROM THE COMMUNITY DURING THE FESTIVAL WEEKEND) AND MUSICIANS AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN TO BUILD AND USE A ONE-STRINGED CANJO INSTRUMENT. OUR PROJECT ADDRESSES A SIGNIFICANT LACK OF OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND A MUSIC FESTIVAL IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE DOUGLAS COUNTY'S SOLE PRIVATE OUTDOOR MUSIC FESTIVAL. DUE TO THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR POPULATION-18% OF DOUGLAS COUNTY RESIDENTS LIVE UNDER THE FEDERAL POVERTY LINE-MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS DO NOT HAVE THE MEANS TO TRAVEL TO OTHER FESTIVALS INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF MISSOURI. IN THE U.S., THE AVERAGE 3-DAY MUSIC FESTIVAL TICKET COSTS BETWEEN $200-$600. THE TWO CLOSET TO OUR REGION ARE HILLBERRY IN WINFIELD, KS ($200/3 DAY PASS) AND THE WALNUT VALLEY FESTIVAL IN EUREKA SPRINGS, AR ($150/3-DAY PASS) IN COMPARISON, 3-DAY PASSES TO THE HMF COST $85, AND FAMILY PASSES, WHICH ALLOW PARENTS AND CHILDREN TO ATTEND TOGETHER, COST $160 FOR THE ENTIRE EVENT.