As KVOE News has reported for over a year now, several changes and additions are coming to this year’s Halfway to Everywhere Music and Arts Festival and lead organizer Hank Osterhout recently appeared on KVOE’s airwaves to shine some light on a few of the newer additions.
On the Talk of Emporia this past Monday, Osterhout touched on several subjects including the addition of a busker stage that will be located in the green space at Ninth and Commercial. Osterhout says this will be a day of events where performers from various genres can get on stage and share their skills with those in attendance.
Osterhout says the idea for a busking stage came from his background and experiences at the Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival in Winfield.
With that in mind, Osterhout says he wants to fit as many acts on the stage as is possible and asked performers to come with minimal and light equipment to allow for a quick and seamless set and breakdown between acts.
Another addition to this year’s festival will come on the art side with Osterhout saying they will also have a two-day juried exhibition in the art market on Friday and Saturday.
Both the busker stage and art market will take place in conjunction with the Emporia First Friday Art Walk and will be located in the lot at Ninth and Commercial. Once these activities wrap up, the first wave of musical performances for the festival will take place Friday night around 8 pm inside of the Emporia Granada Theatre.
The main slate of musical acts are set to take the stage Saturday, September 7 and will run through the early morning hours of Sunday, September 8. As has been reported for the last few months, this is the first year the festival will not be free to attend with general admission tickets costing $20 for adults and $10 for youths ages 5-18, with VIP packages also available at $75 and $150.
For more information, be sure to visit H2EFest.org.
