Boataroo to support Friends Together
Trending
ALPENA -- Music lovers can get their fix of live music this weekend in Ossineke as nearly a dozen acts perform at the annual Boataroo Music Festival.
The two-day festival, which begins at 7 p.m. Friday, features local and out-of-town musical acts covering many different genres, so there is sure to be tunes to which everyone can tap their feet or dance.
Donation bins will be strategically placed around the venue and, at the end of the weekend, a donation will be made to Friends Together to purchase gas cards.
Friends Together will have a representative at the festival to address the crowd and explain the services it provides for cancer victims and their families.
Co-founder Ryan Styma said tickets to the event are $15 for the entire weekend. That also covers the cost of rustic camping for those who want to bring tents or campers with them. He said people can bring in their own food and beverages, but snacks and refreshments will also be available from the Alpena Booster Club, which will have a concessions stand on the grounds.
Styma said the artists are the center of attention and he says people will not be disappointed in this year's lineup, which features Bobbing for Piranhas headlining on Saturday night.
"We have some extremely talented performers and we don't feature one type of music, but a little of everything," Styma said. "Boataroo is just a different type of experience and it has a great vibe."
The music kicks off on Friday night with Eric Engblade, Brian Natzel, Aldridge, Jason Eller and Alabaster Casual. The fun commences at about noon on Saturday as local musicians John LaCross and Steve Rea join Bobbing for Piranhas, Citrus Orange, Intellectual Jive and other acts that played the night before for a marathon of jams.
Styma said the idea to host a music festival stems from attending the Alpena Blues Festival back in 2005. He said that, after finding some private land and renting a stage and public address system, the first festival was held in 2006. After the event in 2007, Styma said it was bleeding money, which was coming out of his own pocket, and he decided to table the idea for a spell.
"We put together a music festival with really no idea of what was all involved," he said. "We planned on putting it on hiatus for a couple years, but I never imagined it would be 12 years before we started again."
Styma said he knew it was time to resurrect the festival after he saw the current location and The Barn, where the bands play. He said he knew right away it had potential to set the type of mood he wanted. Plus, it took Mother Nature out of the equation because the artists could play rain or shine.
Since the return festival in 2019 he said it has been well-received and more people are showing up to support the event, and, more importantly, the bands.
"It took a while to get the word out, but, once you come, and see the variety of music and talent these musicians have, you can't wait to come back."
If things continue to trend up, Styma said he hopes the day comes when he needs to find another larger venue. He said he would love to see the festival grow large enough so the Barn, as great as it is now, becomes a memory.
"We hope it continues to grow," he said.
Styma said he is often asked why he chose the name Boataroo, when there is no boat or nautical theme to the show. He said his nickname is Steamboat, and the event name stems from that.
The show is held on Behning Road and people can purchase tickets in advance or get more information by calling 989-464-2295.