The Wonderdogs were just one of many great musical acts playing this past weekend at the Stars of the North Music Festival. On bass is John Mianowski in the colorful pants. Pete Kavanaugh rocked out on his flying V guitar and Thomas Stamps laid down the beat and sang, changing off lead vocals with Pete. Staff photo/Brian Larsen
The third annual Stars of the North Music Festival hit all the right notes this past weekend, striking a chord of joy that resonated through the downtown area for three days as area visitors and locals gathered to enjoy the free music played in Harbor Park.
Some inclement weather on Friday moved the bands earlier than planned to the Wunder Bar, but the music never stopped.
“It is looking like it is the best festival so far as far as meeting our goals of bringing the community together and raising funds for the lesson program,” said one of the event organizers, Todd Miller. “We have learned a lot from our previous festivals and we are constantly refining how we manage the festival.”
Although the total accounting wasn’t done by press time, Todd said it looked like they had made $5,000 after expenses, far exceeding their take from previous years.
The festival started Friday afternoon and ended Sunday with a rockin’ gospel hour followed by a performance by local kids who have benefited from free music lessons gained from proceeds from this event.
Music ran the gamut from folk, blues, jazz to rock ’n roll, bringing a mix of local talent playing both electric and acoustic music, as well as the April Fools rock band from the Twin Cities who played and offered all local sales from their latest CD mixed in England at Abbey Road studios all going to the Grand Marais Music Collaborative.
Bands and musicians who performed were: Jourdan Victoria, Gene Lafond and Amy Grillo, Vessel, Mysterious Ways, Common Ground, Blinded by Seagulls, Joe Paulik, Michael Monroe, Blue Sky Quartet, Wonderdogs, April Fools, Common Ground, Mainline Daylight, and the rockin’ gospel hour with Chris Gillis and Gordon Thorn and many friends and finally, The Stars of the North Collaborative Youth Jam.
The Grand Marais Music Collaborative, a 501(c) (3) not for profit organization that focuses on the local music scene, education, and performance, sponsors the Stars of the North Music Festival. All of the proceeds raised after concert expenses will go toward building a music lesson program for area youth.
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