‘Moonshine and Music Festival’ Announces Date, concert headliner for Second-Annual Event

First-ever festival a hit with attendees from across the region

FAIRFIELD BAY, Arkansas – Last month’s first-of-its-kind Moonshine and Music Festival, with a weekend of music headlined by legendary bluegrass artist Ricky Skaggs and distilleries from across the state, was such an overwhelming success that the event’s planning board has set the date and scheduled the main act for next year.

Tickets will go on sale July 1, 2023, for the second-annual Moonshine & Music Festival, which will be November 3 and 4 in the Entertainment District of Fairfield Bay. Country and bluegrass singer Marty Stuart, a five-time Grammy award winner, will perform Saturday night. Stuart began his career in the late 60s touring with Lester Flatt and Johnny Cash before beginning a solo career in the early 1980s.

Donald Farrar III, the event coordinator, said almost 4,500 whisky and moonshine aficionados and bluegrass fans from across the region attended the November event, which was in Fairfield Bay, about 80 miles north of Little Rock, the state’s capital.

A check from Eagle Bank was presented to the Van Buren County in the amount of $16, 110.29 on Friday, December 9, 2022.  Present for the presentation left to right are Ginger Simpson, Festival board member, Michael Kirkland, CEO Petit Jean Electric and CASA board member, Tess Fletcher, CASA Director, Fairfield Bay Mayor Linda Duncan, Wilba Thompson, Festival Board member, Donald Farrar, Festival Director and Van Buren County Judge, Dale James.  Farrar said proceeds from the weekend benefited the Van Buren County Children’s Advocacy Alliance, which received. The organization provides coordinated guidance, treatment, and support for child victims of abuse and neglect.

“It was rewarding for Fairfield Bay to come together to plan a significant event that honors our area’s bluegrass roots while benefitting a local agency that provides help to children in one of the poorest areas of the state,” he said.

Farrar said a weekend highlight was the recognition of the newly formed Arkansas Distillers Guild. “The mayor shared a proclamation announcing the formation of the guild. This was their first opportunity to come together in support of each other and highlight their spirits to a group of folks who really appreciated them,” he said. Eight distilleries from across Arkansas offered tastings as well as featured specialty drinks made of the alcohol they distill.

“Roving musicians who also took to the stage throughout the weekend engaged the crowds, who enjoyed the variety of music and the festive spirit, and we had food trucks in our ‘Hungry Hollow’ serving everything from Thai food to barbecue. One of most popular was Brew Crew Coffee out of Greers Ferry, which was so popular they ran out of milk for mochas. And the retail venders reported great success because of the terrific turnout,” Farrar said.

The final highpoint was the Ricky Skaggs concert, Farrar said. Skaggs, a bluegrass legend with 15 Grammys, drew a crowd of more than 1,300, including VIPS who purchased a package that included accommodations at on-site Cobblestone Inn and Suites. “It was a perfect Saturday night – fans were armchair-to-armchair, enthusiastically standing up and dancing. Others gathered around fire pits in our ‘Grassy Knoll’ within viewing distance of the stage. It was the best ending to the weekend we could have imagined,” he said.

Farrar said he expects the 2023 event to be even better. “This was our first time to plan something of this magnitude, and we are refining our process. We learned so much and made valuable connections. We already have interest from folks looking to be part of the festivities next year, and we welcome them. Based on the positive feedback we received, we expect the event to grow significantly,” he said.

Musicians, vendors, and others interested in participating in the 2023 festival should contact event director Donald Farrar at info@ozarkmoonshinefest.org pending further announcements.

12/22/22