TRAVERSE CITY — Michigan’s own Billy Strings has forever changed the bluegrass world, and now, he’s forever changed his adopted hometown of Ionia.
The virtuoso bluegrass guitarist’s inaugural Ionia Freak Fair last weekend attracted more than 30,000 people for an unprecedented musical celebration that packed the Ionia County Fairgrounds just seven miles from where William Apostol, aka Billy Strings, grew up.
There seems to be no limit to the heights that this Ionia County-bred bluegrass guitarist can achieve, or to the size of the impressive events that he can organize, or to the boundless love he has for his home state and the diverse musicians he’s befriended on his journey to the top of the bluegrass universe.
All of it came together in an oversized circus-themed spectacle at those Fairgrounds — an unprecedented two-day event that unleashed titans of bluegrass while also hailing some mighty masters of metal.
At the center of the extravaganza was Billy Strings, who seemed to be everywhere — sitting in with other artists and uncorking two lengthy headlining sets of his own on consecutive nights to the delight of ardent fans, many of whom traveled from across the country to Michigan for this first-time festival.
“Oh, man. I’ve got to tell you this is incredible for me,” Billy told the throng stretching out as far as the eye could see. “I’ve been trying to do this for a number of years and I think we finally pulled it off.”
He added with some emotion that he saw the lunar eclipse after midnight Thursday when his new album – “So Much for Goodbyes,” which is dedicated to his late mothers – was finally available and thought of his mom.
“It all just feels right,” he said. “This is unbelievable.”
Unbelievable, indeed, because his Ionia Freak Fair was a milestone event such as Ionia has never witnessed, with the festival crowd growing precipitously as the weekend wore on to fill nearly every nook and cranny of the fairgrounds and its grandstand.
Ionia Mayor John Milewski said the economic impact from the event already has been “significant. We are already seeing the influx of visitors — attendees, stage hands, food vendors and many of the other supporting personnel — in the community. The hotels/motels were booked months ago, and the City of Ionia has made a pivot with temporarily changing some of our parking ordinances. The use of temporary campgrounds in the county has truly exploded.”
Adding to the city’s enthusiasm for the Ionia Freak Fair: Organizers have a five-year contract to operate the event, ensuring that this festival will continue annually.
The weekend also cemented Billy Strings’ ability to enchant listeners of every age, background and taste — a genre-bending and genre-mixing approach that unites fans of all of those diverse styles.
“Thanks to Billy for giving all this love to the bluegrass community,” guitarist Vince Herman declared during the set by Colorado’s Leftover Salmon.
That community seemed to love it all right back, with the circus-themed event inspiring some fans to make bold and apropos fashion statements, dressing as clowns, ringmasters, jesters and more. To amplify that motif, the Freak Fair boasted sideshows, a Ferris Wheel and carnival games.
“I love all the details, the signs for everything,” said Brent Boswell of Kalamazoo. “It has like a theme. It’s really great. All of the people that are here for bluegrass is really amazing. It’s really special to be a part of this.”
Of course, it wasn’t just bluegrass. The Pyramid Scheme Pinball & Metal Tent featured sets by national and Michigan-based metalcore bands, inspiring mosh pit flailing and circle pits that even drew Billy Strings into the fray and onto the stage.
Fan Glenn Brown drove 14 hours from South Carolina to attend the Freak Fair, calling Billy Strings “inspiring. I felt like this is where I need to be at this point in my life. I’m super excited to be here.”
One pair of fans from Dayton, Ohio, noted they’ve become devoted followers of the guitarist because Billy Strings is “the most genuine person” whose guitar-playing is “transcendent.”
Transcendent musicianship in varied forms was on display throughout the festival, with sets by Michigan’s own Full Cord, Lindsay Lou and Greensky Bluegrass and Billy Strings’ pals Sierra Hull, Leftover Salmon and Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper.
There were on-stage tributes to the late Dolly Parton, and Billy kicked off his weekend residency by playing all 16 songs from his new album straight through.
After it was all over, an exhausted Billy Strings — who got his start in Traverse City about 15 years ago — gushed on social media that he was “filled with love and pride.”
“I am overwhelmed with gratitude. At a loss for words,” he wrote. “I’m so proud of my hometown, my family and friends, my band, my team, the music lovers, all the bands that played, volunteers, vendors, riggers, videographers and photographers, graphic designers, the police officers and security and everyone involved in making this event happen.”