Cook County’s Most Wanted was one of many fine acts that performed at Radio Waves last weekend. Above, lead singer Rod Dockan belts out a tune while Carah Thomas, Gary Croft and Steve Johnson, far left, play and sing harmony. In the back, Snuffy Smith plays bass while Tommy Rich keeps the beat on the drums. Pitch perfect weather and great music drew record crowds to this year’s WTIP’s Radio Waves.
There was an impressive crowd of 655 music lovers who enjoyed a full day of pleasant weather and eclectic performances on Saturday, September 8 at Sweetheart’s Bluff in the Grand Marais Recreation Area.
Kicking off on Friday evening with the North Shore Community Swing Band, and closing with the SplinterTones on late Sunday afternoon, overall attendance at this annual, three-day festival reached over 1,260.
Record crowds were experienced on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons, with the largest on Saturday evening, when the dance floor reached full capacity during a performance by Cook County’s Most Wanted and leading up to a rousing set by the Carpenter Ants from Charleston, West Virginia.
“This annual music festival began as a give-back to the community, and it still is,” said Matthew Brown, WTIP executive director. Organized by the station and sponsored by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, the Grand Marais Area Tourism Association and Visit Cook County, the event showcases local, regional and national music acts.
WTIP’s partnership with Legacy funding allows the station to keep ticket prices affordable for all and connects musical performers with new audiences, helps strengthen the network of local nonprofits like the Violence Prevention Center, the North Shore Music Collaborative and others, and serves as an amazing venue for visitors to experience the arts and culture of the North Shore.
A community-driven radio station, WTIP relies on the support of community members, so this event also helps to connect the station to potential new listener members.
While the event is not a fundraiser for WTIP, it continues to be a wonderful community event enjoyed by all ages. To paraphrase WTIP volunteer emcee Tracy Benson, “Radio Waves is a great way to end the summer, and help us to usher in the fall.”
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