Muncie MusicFest returns for 10th year, features 40 bands

For 10 hours on Sept. 30, Muncie will be filled with the sound of local bands as the 10th Muncie MusicFest takes place.

The festival will host 40 bands who are either from the area or have local ties. It begins at 5 p.m. in the Cornerstone Center of the Arts and ends at 10 p.m. 

The event has stages between Cornerstone and Village Green Records. From 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., the concerts will continue in local bars.

“If you can find the right place to stand in Cornerstone while this is happening, you can hear four different concerts happening at once,” said Andrew Hesik, a member of the management team for the festival. 

Hesik is also in two bands that will be performing: Robin Goodfellow and Mephysto. 

Robin Goodfellow represents a psychedelic folk/pop, while Mephysto is dance music. However, this varies from show to show and is hard to describe, said Hesik. 

This is Hesik’s second year performing at MusicFest.

“Last year was an absolute blast. At one point, [we were] rocking so hard that Funyuns were dumped into the audience,” Hesik said.

Muncie MusicFest used to be just a blocked off street with an admission fee. However, it has been changed to be a free event with several stage locations. The main portion is inside Cornerstone with five different stages.

Graham Watson, the director and co-founder of the Muncie MusicFest, has been around since it started. He has worked alongside many others to make this a successful festival year after year. This year, the format has changed but stayed similar to previous ones.

“We want the festival not just to be a celebration of all the amazing bands in our extended music community but also a way to shine a spotlight on all the great venues we have here in Muncie,” Watson said.

Watson is passionate about the festival and all that goes with it and is hoping for even better success with the turnout this year. 

The management team has been working hard to take into consideration the opinions of performers and their audience. 

Hesik said the Muncie MusicFest will be more well assembled than last year, as the bands will be working with the venues to better accommodate for the sound and create an intimate environment for the crowd.

“I love performing with all my heart, but it's even more amazing to share a day with so many musicians who've committed so much time to working on their craft and performances," Hesik said. "There's no feeling quite like it.”

Though much work has been put into the festival, the real success is up to those who go, Watson said.

“It’ll just be up to the performers, promoters and audience members to make the night truly magical,” Watson said.

In addition to live music, there will also be three food trucks available to concertgoers. The Rolling Luau, Hawaiian BBQ and Big Daddy’s Dogs, who will be offering vegetarian options.

A full schedule with times and locations can be found on the Muncie MusicFest's website.

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