Autumn Acoustics
Music Festival
Saturday, October 5 2024
12 pm – 6 pm
-
Who’s Playing?
See the lineup! -
Get my Tickets!
Day of 10/5:
@ Fireman’s Park, Newburg
$35 adults, $10 kids ages 5-12, Kids under 5 free -
FAQ’s
What to bring, know, and get excited for!
The Forest is calling
Sway to the sounds of indie, folk, blues, bluegrass, and singer-songwriter tunes just as the leaves begin to turn color. With seven diverse acts on two stages–one in the heart of a maple forest and the other framed by the reflections of a tranquil pond–you’ll be transported by music at this celebration of fall.
Autumn Acoustics is an all-ages music festival including food trucks, interactive activities for kids, cookies, hot apple cider and a beer & wine bar. Not to mention incredible views along the trails of our natural sanctuary.
Autumn Acoustics is proudly presented by
general parking & Registration at FiremAn’s Park in Newburg. Our free 2-minute shuttle will take you to the festival!
Reserved parking for VIPs, guests with ADA/mobility needs, and those with children ages 4 and under will be at the Riveredge Visitor Center main lot. (Check-in for these folks will be inside the Visitor Center.) Thank you for your courtesy in not parking in the main lot unless you fit the above descriptors.
Lineup
Long Mama
Joseph Huber
Luke Cerny & Ryan Ogburn
Forrest Jackson
The Stephen Hull Experience
The MilBillies
Bear in the Forest
SET TIMES
Luke Cerny & Ryan Ogburn Sugarbush House at 12:00 PM
The virtuosic duo of Luke Cerny and Ryan Ogburn open the festival at the intimate Sugarbush House Stage, surrounded by trees and open air. Bluegrass, blues, folk, and country western are all on the table as Cerny & Ogburn play among crackling firepits and the towering maple forest. Luke Cerny is a guitarist and composer influenced by his deep study of American Roots music, spurring audiences to rediscover traditional American guitar stylings. Musician and songwriter Ryan Ogburn is known widely in the local music scene, both for his solo performing and for lending his mandolin as part of Milwaukee-based band Chicken Wire Empire and the nationally acclaimed folk group Dead Horses.
Joseph Huber Main Yard Stage at 12:30 PM
Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Joseph Huber opens our main stage! Joseph Huber is known for his lyricism, subtlety, and introspection. His music blends elements of rock and folk, rollicking between the feelings of freedom and severity, wit and earnestness. Whether it’s irresistible, fiddle-driven dancing tunes or honest, heart-wrenching songwriter songs, Huber spans the spectrum of Roots music. Huber has been featured on NPR’s Live Music Sessions and has toured through the United States and Europe. His newest album Blasthouse Sessions, packed with stage-favorite tracks, came out in June of 2024.
Bear in the Forest Sugarbush House at 1:30 PM
Bear in the Forest is a singer-songwriter from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The tracks on his powerful self-titled album Bear In The Forest “howl with spiritualism, built around folk music in the oldest, barest sense: joy and pain and a guitar coming together to produce sounds that resonate with ancestral memory.” Bear performs with nuance and sensitivity, with a voice that evokes both the haunting and the joyful. Hear Bear in the Forest’s stunning set at the Sugarbush House against a woodland backdrop of birdsong.
Long Mama Main Yard at 2:00 PM
Long Mama’s debut album Poor Pretender, released October 2022, is described as such: “embracing a rich spectrum of light and shadow, heat and cold. The palette of country, folk, indie rock, and punk reflects its makers’ coming-of-age in the rustbelt crossroads of north, south, east, and west.” Country Music People Magazine heralds the collection as “A winner all the way” and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel calls it, “Gently crafted perfection.” Long Mama’s music has been described as “misfit country” and “the wild, weird West.” Discover them at the Main Yard Stage!
Forrest Jackson Sugarbush House at 3:00 PM
As the sun gets lower in the sky, hear Forrest Jackson’s set at the Sugarbush House while the light filters gently through the trees. Forrest is a pianist, vocalist, a (sometimes) trombonist, and recording artist based out of Milwaukee. Growing up in a music-loving family, Forrest has always been surrounded by different genres and soundscapes and brings all of these influences to his playing, from rock to jazz, EDM to rap. Experience the richness of wide influences brought together in the cohesive sound of this young, exciting artist.
The Stephen Hull Experience Main Yard at 3:30 PM
Called a “blues dynamo” by Blues Blast Magazine, The Stephen Hull Experience “brings the blues to the people.” As a twice semifinalist at the Wilson Center Guitar Competition by the age of 16, frontman Stephen Hull has garnered national acclaim for his attention to detail and guitar solo style that evokes that of Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Stephen is this year’s recipient of the King of the Blues Award from the Jus’ Blues Music Foundation. Head to the Main Yard to watch The Stephen Hull Experience set the stage ablaze with the blues.
The MilBillies Main Yard at 5:00 PM
We close our the festival with The MilBillies, a 5-piece string band slinging high-energy bluegrass! Their many accolades include a New Artist of the Year nomination from the Wisconsin Area Music Industry (2020), being named an International Bluegrass Music Association Showcase Artist (2021), and winning the John Hartford Memorial Festival Band Contest (2022). Their latest album, Capital B, was reviewed by Bluegrass Unlimited as “shot through with humor, rowdiness, wild times and angst […] with relentless energy.” The MilBillies project a veritable wall of sound, starting with an intentional focus on melodic lyricism in songwriting and finishing with an unparalleled, action-packed live performance.
Hands-on Art Stations
Kids of all ages can try out hands-on art at stations like pond watercolor, tree ornament stamping, face painting, and other crafts based on natural materials.
Food Trucks
Delicious food truck fare will be available throughout the day of the festival! Tasty delicacies will keep you fueled to dance along to the music. Look for food trucks nearby both stages to enjoy the eclectic and vibrant flavors of fall.
We’re proud to feature the following food vendors:
Bethmayhem – baked sweet treats
Cocina Filipina – authentic Filipino food
Nosh Nook – tacos and other delicacies
Yummy Bones – legendary BBQ and southern sides
Refreshments
Additional concessions available include light snacks, water, soda, hot apple cider (N/A), beer, and wine! We use environmentally friendly glasses and packaging whenever possible.
ID is required for any adult beverages order (21+ only).
Members
Want to get special perks at the event? Become a Riveredge member! Click here for more information on Riveredge Membership.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I park?
As for most of our large events, ample parking will be available at Firemen’s Park in Newburg. A shuttle will then take you to the festival fun and back throughout the day!
There will be limited parking available in the Visitor Center lots for VIPs, those with accessibility needs, and those with young children. Parking attendants will be able to direct you to a space if you need to park at the Visitor Center.
If you’re interested in reserving one of the Access Ability Wisconsin outdoor wheelchairs that we host on site for the event, please click here.
What should I bring?
A chair or blanket in case provided seating is full.
Cash for some of the food trucks who may not be able to take a card.
Outdoor clothing suitable for the (fingers crossed for beautiful!) weather.
Do I have to stay at one stage the whole time?
Not at all! We encourage you to enjoy the short, beautiful woodland hike between our two stages. The start times for all acts are staggered so that you can catch a portion of every single set if you so choose!
What time and which stage is my favorite band playing?
All that information can be found by clicking here!
I’m in a band! How do I inquire about playing next year’s festival?
We’d love to get in touch! Please contact our Event Coordinator, Hannah Sedgwick, at [email protected]
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
YOUR support makes it possible
Is your company or group interested in supporting the community, the arts, and conservation? Please click the button below to explore Autumn Acoustics sponsorship.