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Press Release

June 26, 2018

Railroad Earth, The Brothers Comatose, Melvin Seals & JGB headline the 11th Annual Petaluma Music Festival

Petaluma, California (June 26, 2018) – This marks the eleventh year for what has become one of the most highly regarded festivals on the West Coast.  The Petaluma Music Festival will take place on Saturday, August 4th, 2018, at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds & Event Center in Petaluma.

With past festival performances by national acts like Trombone Shorty, The Devil Makes Three, Galactic, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Nahko and Medicine for the People, Jackie Greene, Xavier Rudd, and The Wood Brothers, festival goers are always treated to a family-friendly event with a unique variety of indie and jam band music for people of all ages.

This year is no exception, and “newgrass” fans should be particularly excited.  Performing at the 2018 Petaluma Music Festival is the roots and Americana newgrass jam band Railroad Earth, the high-energy, foot-stompin’ bluegrass and folk-rock of The Brothers Comatose, the jam band musical legacy of Jerry Garcia with Melvin Seals & JGB, the soul, funk, and blues of singer-songwriter Ron Artis II & The Truth, the old-school throwback rock, gypsy swing, and dance-party soul of Royal Jelly Jive, the country rock and blues of Danny Click & The Hell Yeahs, the hard-driving Americana and folk of The Sam Chase & The Untraditional, and the rich harmonizing folk-rock of the Rainbow Girls.  Joining these headliners are Bay Area favorites: The Coffis Brothers & The Mountain Men, Afrofunk Experience, La Gente SF, Black Sheep Brass Band, The Mike Saliani Band, Dirty Red Barn, and The Peach Thieves.

Rounding out the day are a silent auction, a celebrity autographed guitar raffle, a fantastic kid’s area, free drinking water, and a variety of specialty food, craft, and merchandise vendors.  The presenting community partner is the Lagunitas Brewing Company.

The Petaluma Music Festival is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to “keeping music in the schools.”  All festival proceeds benefit the music education programs in all Petaluma area public schools. In the last eight years, the Petaluma Music Festival has donated over $265,000 to keeping music in the schools, and they are looking to increase that number in 2018.

Tickets are $55 for General Admission, $149 for VIP, and children 12 and under are free with a paying adult. Ticket prices will increase on the day of festival.  Students 13-17 can purchase $20 tickets at the door.  Tickets are available for purchase online at www.petalumamusicfestival.org and in person at McNear’s Restaurant in Petaluma and The Last Record Store in Santa Rosa.  Gates open at 11:30 AM and the festival concludes at 9:30 PM.

The festival location is the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, 175 Fairgrounds Drive, Petaluma, CA 94952.

For more information about the Petaluma Music Festival please visit the website: www.petalumamusicfestival.org

 

June 12, 2015

Nahko and Medicine for the People, The Wood Brothers, ALO, and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy headline the 8th Annual Petaluma Music Festival

This marks the eighth year for what has become one of the most highly regarded events on the West Coast summer music festival circuit. The Petaluma Music Festival takes place on Friday, July 31st and Saturday, August 1st, 2015, at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds & Event Center in Petaluma.

With past festival performances by national acts like Trombone Shorty, Galactic, The Devil Makes Three, Jackie Greene, and Xavier Rudd, festival goers are always treated to a family-friendly event with a unique variety of indie-band music for people of all ages.

This year is no exception. Opening the festival on Friday night is a special concert with the jump swing and jive of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.         Featured in the film “Swingers” and performing the half-time show of Super Bowl XXXIII are just a few of the many accomplishments of this retro-hip big band known for getting audiences on their feet and dancing.         The Friday night VIP ticket option includes reserved seating with a four-course gourmet dinner and complimentary wine and beer.

One of three headliners for the 2015 Saturday Festival is the tribal hip hop/folk of Nahko and Medicine for the People. Led by the charismatic and dynamic Nahko Bear, the group was borne out of Nahko’s desire to produce a musical journal of his journey toward personal, spiritual, and social healing.

Also co-headlining are The Wood Brothers. Chris (formerly of Medeski, Martin & Wood) and Oliver are two brothers who decided to form a band, adapting the blues, folk and other roots-music sounds they loved as kids into their own evocative sound and twining their voices in the sort of high-lonesome harmony blend for which sibling singers are often renowned.

The third co-headliner is jam rock band ALO.         With their delightfully vibrant blend of inventive musicality and genre-blurring reach, ALO performs their always-kaleidoscopic funk pop-n-roll with exceptionally ebullient songcraft and deliriously danceable grooves.

Rounding out the Saturday lineup are the afro-samba-funk-dance music of SambaDá, the stomp folk of the Rainbow Girls, the high-energy traditional jazz of The Dixie Giants, the americana rock of Midnight North featuring Grahame Lesh, the roots rock of The Coffis Brothers, the country and western sounds of Buck Nickels & Loose Change, the R & B soul/rock of Dylan Chambers and The Midnight Transit, the reggae and Cali dub rock of Lumanation, the alternative rock of Bellygunner, the blistering blues and soul of Twice As Good, the americana folk of singer-songwriter Jenny Kerr, and the country rock/blues of Arizona & The Volunteers.

Also featured on Saturday are a silent auction, a celebrity autographed guitar raffle, a kids area, free drinking water, and a variety of specialty food, craft, and merchandise vendors. The presenting community partner is the Lagunitas Brewing Company.

The Petaluma Music Festival is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to “keeping music in the schools.”         All festival proceeds benefit the music education programs in all Petaluma area public schools. In the last 5 years, the Petaluma Music Festival has donated over $125,000 to keeping music in the schools, and they are looking to increase that number in 2015.

Saturday tickets are $40 General Admission and $85 VIP (includes shaded reserved seating with complimentary wine, beer, and light appetizers).         Friday tickets to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy are $35 General Admission and $115 VIP.         On both days, children 12 and under are free with a paying adult, and students 13-17 can purchase $20 tickets at the door. Ticket prices will increase on both days of the festival.

Tickets are available for purchase online at www.petalumamusicfestival.org and in person at McNear’s Restaurant in Petaluma, the Lagunitas TapRoom & Beer Sanctuary in Petaluma, People’s Music in Sebastopol, and the Last Record Store in Santa Rosa.

The Friday VIP Dinner seating starts at 5:00 PM and will begin serving at 5:30 PM.         General Admission gates will open at 6:45 PM and the concert will begin at 7:30 PM with no opening act.         Saturday gates open at 12:00 PM and the festival concludes at 9:00 PM.         The festival location is the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, 175 Fairgrounds Drive, Petaluma, CA 94952.

 

January 16, 2015

Petaluma Music Festival Donates Over $33,000 to Petaluma Public School Music Programs

On August 2, 2014, the 7th Annual Petaluma Music Festival at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds successfully raised over $33,000 of much-needed funds for Petaluma area public school music programs.         More than 3,600 people attended the festival to hear music artists such as Galactic, The Mother Hips, Brokedown in Bakersfield, and Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds. “The event was again a tremendous success, and we would like to thank our sponsors, volunteers, attendees, and musicians for helping us keep music in our Petaluma schools,” said Mark Mooney, President of the music festival’s Board of Directors.         The Petaluma Music Festival has now donated over $125,000 to Petaluma area public schools in the last 5 years.

In addition to the revenue generated by the 2014 Festival, organizers are especially pleased that every dollar donated in sponsorship was once again donated to the schools.         The 8th annual festival will take place on August 1st, 2015 and festival board members expect revenue and attendance will increase and the festival will be able to donate even more to local schools.

In December, the Petaluma Music Festival made donation presentations at local public school winter concerts and assemblies, and the following schools received substantial donations to their music programs:

  • CasaGrandeHigh School
  • PetalumaHigh School
  • KenilworthJunior High School
  • PetalumaJunior High School
  • Meadow Elementary School
  • CoronaCreekElementary School
  • OldAdobeElementary School
  • SonomaMountainElementary School
  • MiwokValleyElementary School
  • La Tercera Elementary School
  • Mary Collins School at Cherry Valley
  • McNearElementary School
  • GrantElementary School
  • ValleyVistaElementary School
  • PenngroveElementary School
  • McKinleyElementary School
  • McDowellElementary School
  • Two Rock Elementary School
  • LibertyElementary School
  • WilsonElementary School
  • DunhamElementary School
  • CinnabarElementary School
  • Live Oak Charter School
  • RiverMontessoriCharterSchool

The Petaluma Music Festival is an incorporated 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to keep music in our Petaluma public schools.         The Board of Directors believe passionately in the positive influence of music in children’s lives, and want to ensure school music programs have a consistent and lasting funding source.         The Petaluma Music Festival strives to promote music education and youth participation in music activities in the greater Petaluma area, and to supplement and augment the services of our local public schools.         For more information about the Petaluma Music Festival, please visit www.petalumamusicfestival.org.

June 7, 2014

Galactic to Headline 7th Annual Petaluma Music Festival

This marks the seventh year for what has become one of the most highly regarded events on the west coast summer music festival circuit. The Petaluma Music Festival takes place on Saturday, August 2nd, 2014, at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds & Event Center in Petaluma.

With past festival performances by national acts like Trombone Shorty, The Devil Makes Three, Jackie Greene, Xavier Rudd, and ALO, festival goers are always treated to a family-friendly event with a unique variety of         indie-band music for people of all ages.

This year is no exception. Performing at the 2014 Petaluma Music Festival are New Orleans funk and jazz jam band Galactic, the California rock and soul of The Mother Hips, the country and western sounds of Brokedown in Bakersfield featuring Nicki Bluhm, the Brooklyn funk and soul of Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, the Americana folk of local singer-songwriter David Luning, the sweet three part sibling harmony of the T Sisters, the hip hop, jazz, and electronica of Adam Theis & Jazz Mafia, and the Louisiana sounds of Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic.         Joining these headliners are Bay Area favorites The Highway Poets, Levi Lloyd & The 501 Band, IrieFuse, The Pine Needles, Ariel Garcia, and The Market Farmers Band.

Rounding out the day are a silent auction, a celebrity autographed guitar raffle, a kids area, free drinking water, and a variety of specialty food, craft, and merchandise vendors. The presenting community partner is the Lagunitas Brewing Company.

The Petaluma Music Festival is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to “keeping music in the schools.”         All festival proceeds benefit the music education programs in all Petaluma area public schools. In the last four years, the Petaluma Music Festival has donated nearly $100,000 to keeping music in the schools, and we are looking to increase that number in 2014.

Tickets are $40 General Admission, $85 VIP Premium (includes shaded reserved seating with complimentary wine, beer, and light appetizers), and children 12 and under are free with a paying adult. Ticket prices will increase on the day of festival. Students 13-17 can purchase $20 tickets at the door.         Tickets are available for purchase online at www.petalumamusicfestival.org and in person at McNear’s Restaurant in Petaluma, the Lagunitas TapRoom & Beer Sanctuary in Petaluma, People’s Music in Sebastopol, and the Last Record Store in Santa Rosa.         Gates open and music begins at 12:00 PM and the festival concludes at 9:00 PM.         The festival location is the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, 175 Fairgrounds Drive, Petaluma, CA 94952.

 

June 5, 2013

Xavier Rudd to Headline 6th Annual Petaluma Music Festival

This marks the sixth year for what has become one of the most highly regarded events on the west coast summer music festival circuit. The Petaluma Music Festival takes place on Saturday, August 3rd, 2013, at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds & Event Center in Petaluma.

With past festival performances by national acts like Trombone Shorty, The Devil Makes Three, Jackie Greene, ALO, The Mother Hips, and Nicki Bluhm, festival goers are always treated to a family-friendly event with a unique variety of         indie-band music for people of all ages.

This year is no exception. Performing at the 2013 Petaluma Music Festival are Australian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Xavier Rudd, the funk and groove of The Pimps of Joytime, the soulful folk of Sean Hayes, the bluesy rock and roll of The Stone Foxes, the rowdy bluegrass string band The Brothers Comatose, the tribal hip hop and native-based folk of Nahko and Medicine for the People, and the alternative rock of Stroke 9.         Joining these national headliners are Bay Area favorites The Easy Leaves, David Luning, The Incubators, Dgiin, Victoria George, The Grain, and Soup Sandwich.

Rounding out the day are: the Wine & Food Tasting Pavilion presented by Whole Foods (24 of Sonoma County’s best wineries and food purveyors), a silent auction, a celebrity autographed guitar raffle, a kids area, free drinking water, and a variety of specialty food, craft, and merchandise vendors. The presenting community partner is the Lagunitas Brewing Company.

The Petaluma Music Festival is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to “keeping music in the schools.”         All festival proceeds benefit the music education programs in all Petaluma area public schools. In the last four years, the Petaluma Music Festival has donated over $75,000 to keeping music in the schools, and we are looking to increase that number in 2013.

Tickets are $30 General Admission, $75 VIP Premium (includes shaded reserved seating with complimentary wine, beer, and light appetizers), and children 12 and under are free with a paying adult. Ticket prices increase $5 on the day of festival. Students 13-17 can purchase $15 tickets at the door.         Tickets are available for purchase online at www.petalumamusicfestival.org and are available in person at McNear’s Restaurant in Petaluma, the Lagunitas TapRoom & Beer Sanctuary in Petaluma, People’s Music in Sebastopol, and the Last Record Store in Santa Rosa.         Gates open and music begins at 12:00 PM, wine & food tasting is from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM, and the festival ends at 8:45 PM.         The festival location is the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, 175 Fairgrounds Drive, Petaluma, CA 94952.

 

January 10, 2013

Petaluma Music Festival Donates Over $30,000 to Petaluma Public School Music Programs 

The 2012 Petaluma Music Festival, which took place at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds on August 4, successfully raised over $30,000 of much-needed funds for Petaluma area public school music programs.         Despite unusually overcast summer weather that even saw a bit of light rain, over 3,000 people attended the festival to hear music artists such as Jackie Greene, The Pimps of Joytime, Nicki Bluhm, and Poor Man’s Whiskey. “The event was once again a big success, and everyone I spoke to said they had a great time and enjoyed the music,” said Cliff Eveland, Executive Director of the Festival.         “We expect our 6th annual festival on August 3rd, 2013 to be even better!”

“We want to truly thank all of our sponsors, volunteers, attendees, bands, and vendors for helping make this year’s Petaluma Music Festival successful.         Your support made the event possible and will go a long way toward keeping music in the schools.”         In addition to the revenue generated by the 2012 Festival, organizers are especially pleased that every dollar donated in sponsorship was once again donated to the schools.

In December, the Petaluma Music Festival made donation presentations at local public school winter concerts and assemblies. The following schools received substantial donations to their music programs: Casa Grande High School, Petaluma High School, Kenilworth Junior High School, Petaluma Junior High School, Meadow Elementary School, Corona Creek Elementary School, Old Adobe Elementary School, Sonoma Mountain Elementary School, Miwok Valley Elementary School, La Tercera Elementary School, Mary Collins School at Cherry Valley, McNear Elementary School, Grant Elementary School, Valley Vista Elementary School, Penngrove Elementary School, McKinley Elementary School, McDowell Elementary School, Two Rock Elementary School, Liberty Elementary School, Wilson Elementary School, Dunham Elementary School, Cinnabar Elementary School, Live Oak Charter School, and River Montessori Charter School.

The Petaluma Music Festival is an incorporated 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to keep music in our Petaluma public schools  In the last 5 years, the festival has donated over $75,000 to local school music programs.  The Board of Directors of the Petaluma Music Festival believe passionately in the positive influence of music in all children’s lives, and want to ensure public school music programs have a consistent and lasting funding source.  The Petaluma Music Festival strives to promote music education and youth participation in music activities in the greater Petaluma area, and to supplement and augment the services of our local public schools.  For more information about the Petaluma Music Festival, please visit www.petalumamusicfestival.org or call 707-769-9650.

 

June 15, 2012

Jackie Greene Headlines 5th Annual Petaluma Music Festival

This marks the fifth year for what has become one of the most highly regarded events on the west coast summer music festival circuit. The Petaluma Music Festival takes place on Saturday, August 4th, 2012, at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds & Event Center in Petaluma.

With past festival performances by national acts like Trombone Shorty, The Devil Makes Three, ALO and The Mother Hips, festival goers are always treated to a family-friendly event with a unique variety of  indie-band music for people of all ages.

This year is no exception. Performing at the 2012 Petaluma Music Festival are roots-rock bluesman Jackie Greene, the funk and groove of The Pimps of Joytime, the high-octane hootenanny of Poor Man’s Whiskey, rocking country soul singer Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers, the ambassadors of San Francisco gypsy rock Diego’s Umbrella, psychedelic southern rock quintet Truth & Salvage Co., and the punk tinged bluegrass of Old Man Markley. Joining these national headliners are Bay Area favorites Forrest Day, Highway Poets, Smokehouse Gamblers, The Pulsators, Lost Dog Found, Steve Pile Band, Bobby Jo Valentine, Frobeck, The Peter Welker Sextet, and Ian Lubar.

Rounding out the day are the Wine & Food Tasting Pavilion presented by Whole Foods (24 of Sonoma County’s best wineries and food purveyors), a silent auction, a celebrity autographed guitar raffle, a Kids Area, free Camelbak water bottles and drinking water, and a variety of specialty food, craft, and merchandise vendors. The presenting community partner is the Lagunitas Brewing Company.

The Petaluma Music Festival is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to “keeping music in the schools.”  All festival proceeds benefit the music education programs in all Petaluma area public schools. In the last three years, the Petaluma Music Festival has donated nearly $50,000 to keeping music in the schools and we are looking to increase that number for 2012.

Tickets are $30 General Admission, $75 VIP Premium (includes shaded reserved seating with complimentary wine, beer, and light appetizers), and children 12 and under are free with a paying adult. Ticket prices increase $5 on the day of festival. Students 13-17 can purchase $15 tickets at the door.  Tickets are available for purchase online at www.petalumamusicfestival.org and are available in person at McNear’s Restaurant in Petaluma, the Lagunitas TapRoom & Beer Sanctuary in Petaluma, People’s Music in Sebastopol, and the Last Record Store in Santa Rosa.  Gates open and music begins at 11:00 AM, wine & food tasting from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, festival ends at 8:30 PM.  Festival location is the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, 175 Fairgrounds Drive, Petaluma, CA 94952.

 

October 12, 2011

Petaluma Music Festival to Donate Over $30,000 to Petaluma Public School Music Programs

The 2011 Petaluma Music Festival, which took place at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds on August 6, successfully raised over $30,000 of much-needed funds for Petaluma area public school music programs.         “The weather was perfect, the attendance of over 3,000 was amazing, and the bands, including The Devil Makes Three, The Mother Hips, and Big Sam’s Funky Nation, were fantastic,” said Cliff Eveland, Executive Director of the Festival.         “The event was a huge success, and everyone I spoke with said they had a great time and enjoyed the diversity of our music lineup.”

“We want to humbly thank all of our sponsors, volunteers, attendees, bands, and vendors for helping make this year’s Petaluma Music Festival possible. Your support made the event a tremendous success and will go a long way toward keeping music in the schools.”         In addition to revenue generated by the Festival, organizers are especially pleased that every dollar donated to the festival through sponsorship will be donated to the schools.

In December, the Petaluma Music Festival will make donation presentations at local public school Winter Concerts. The following schools will receive substantial donations to their music programs: Casa Grande High School, Petaluma High School, Kenilworth Junior High School, Petaluma Junior High School, Meadow Elementary School, Corona Creek Elementary School, Old Adobe Elementary School, Sonoma Mountain Elementary School, Miwok Valley Elementary School, La Tercera Elementary School, Mary Collins School at Cherry Valley, McNear Elementary School, Grant Elementary School, Valley Vista Elementary School, Penngrove Elementary School, McKinley Elementary School, McDowell Elementary School, Two Rock Elementary School, Liberty Elementary School, Wilson Elementary School, Dunham Elementary School, Cinnabar Elementary School, Live Oak Charter School, and River Montessori Charter School.

The Festival’s profits increased remarkably over last year despite the poor economy, and organizers expect to increase donations to the schools each year as the festival becomes more popular.         “Our community has a history of supporting music in the schools, so we know we have a strong base of music fans and education supporters who will put this event on their calendars year after year,” said Mark Mooney, President of the Festival.         “Look for the 5th Annual Petaluma Music Festival on August 4th, 2012 to be even better!”

The Petaluma Music Festival is an incorporated 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to keep music in our Petaluma public schools         The Board of Directors of the Petaluma Music Festival believe passionately in the positive influence of music in all children’s lives, and want to ensure public school music programs have a consistent and lasting funding source.         The Petaluma Music Festival strives to promote music education and youth participation in music activities in the greater Petaluma area, and to supplement and augment the services of our local public schools.         For more information about the Petaluma Music Festival, please visit www.petalumamusicfestival.org.

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