Fort Worth Prairie Fest volunteers are busy prepping the site and setting up tents, which isn’t easy with the wind blowing out there on the city’s most gorgeous prairie park, Tandy Hills Natural Area.
But the breeze makes for some pleasant temperatures with more of the same forecast for tomorrow, and it looks like this year will be the best Prairie Fest ever.
The city loaned the event its professional portable music stage, meaning volunteers didn’t have to build one from scratch using plywood and cinder blocks. The city-owned aluminum stage is easily pieced together.
“We spent two whole days making our own stage in past years,” said Prairie Fest founder Don Young.
The bands appearing on that stage and the smaller acoustic stage nearby are stellar. Fort Worth Music Co-op founder Eric Griffey took over booking this year and was overwhelmed by the response from quality local acts willing to play for peanuts to support the funkiest festival in Funkytown.
The bands include Brave Combo, Pablo and the Hemphill 7, My Wooden Leg, and Ginny Mac. Appearing on the acoustic stage are Barbara Taylor, Clint Niosi, The Ackermans, The Matthew Show, Sunshine Emery, and others.
One of the acoustic acts canceled at the last minute and Griffey figured he might have to scramble to find a replacement.
Not hardly.
“I put out a Hail Mary last night on Facebook and 15 people responded,” Griffey said as he helped Co-op volunteers set up a tent. “We got Luke Wade.”
“Wow, he’s a main stage kind of guy,” volunteer Steve Tall said.
Most everybody wants to be a part of Prairie Fest, an event that started out six years ago in Young’s front yard with about 200 people but now attracts several thousand.
Better watch where you sit in Phallic Symbol Park.
I’m there…gonna head for that playground, best time in Fort Worth and no admission–