WALKER-Moondance Jam is celebrating 26 years of rock 'n' roll this week at the 300-acre Moondance events campground and concert area east of Walker.
Thursday night features some of the top female voices in rock today topped off with Halestorm with Lzzy Hale and The Pretty Reckless with Taylor Momsen. Grammy award-winner and singer-songwriter legend Melissa Etheridge takes the stage Friday in front of '90s alternative rockers Live, who have reunited for a world tour and are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their debut album Mental Jewelry. Saturday night will cap off the festival with one of the summer's biggest classic rock tours, Steve Miller Band and Peter Frampton. Plus bands like Better Than Ezra, Vince Neil of Motley Crue, Black Stone Cherry, Jack Russell's Great White, Starship featuring Mickey Thomas and more will be playing throughout the weekend.
"We are so excited for the gates to open and for our Moondance family to get settled in," said Kathy Bieloh, Moondance owner, in a news release. "We have such a great variety of rock music this year and so many fun events in and around the concert area. Our staff and I can't wait to see everyone again along with all of the new jammers."
Tickets and camping will be available at the gates for those who didn't purchase them in advance. Four-day camping and upgrades from three- to four-day camping can be purchased at the gate.
Check-in Thursday, Friday and Saturday runs 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Campers are asked not to show up before check-in time and will not be allowed to wait on the highway. Concert gates open at noon Thursday through Saturday.
ADVERTISEMENT
There is $15 per day parking available at the Moondance Fairgrounds parking lot on Highway 200 and $5 per day motorcycle parking near the east concert gate. Northern Lights Casino offers paid parking in its lot 2.5 miles west of Moondance. Moondance Jam provides a free shuttle service to the casino lot from 2 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Special needs accessible parking is available on the south side of the concert area.
Moondance Jam began as classic rock festival with open festival seating for all general admission ticket holders and continues that tradition today over two decades later. All ticket holders at Moondance have equal opportunity to get up to the front of the stage or sit back on the lawn seating area. Concert goers who wish to "reserve" a spot on the lawn by bringing in a lawn chair need to purchase a chair tag. Tags are available at the gate for $30. Lawn chair spots are given on a daily first-come-first-served basis. Accessible seating is available in the concert area with gate personnel and security available for on-hand assistance.
Moondance has four different bars with various specials throughout the Jam. Moondance will host a Yahtzee Pub Crawl starting in the Lazy Moon Bar and Grill 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday. This event allows jammers to explore Moondance, roll the dice and have some fun, the release stated.All participants get a prize and Backstage Bar passes will be given to the top rollers.
Main stage schedule
• Thursday, July 20: 11 p.m., Halestorm; 9 p.m., The Pretty Reckless; 7 p.m., Vince Neil of Motley Crue; 5 p.m., Dorothy; 3 p.m., Cold Kingdom.
• Friday: 11 p.m., Live; 9 p.m., Melissa Etheridge; 7 p.m., Black Stone Cherry; 5 p.m. - Starship featuring Mickey Thomas; 3 p.m., Cowboy Mouth.
• Saturday: 11 p.m., Steve Miller Band; 9 p.m., Peter Frampton; 7 p.m., Better Than Ezra; 5 p.m., Jack Russell's Great White; 3 p.m., ThundHerStruck.
The schedule and lineup are subject to change without notice, the release stated. Side stage schedules and additional information can be found online at www.moondancejam.com .
