Over 20 artists to perform at local two-day music festival in August

RIRIE — A local music festival is returning for its second year, bringing community members two days of live entertainment.

The South Fork Arts Foundation is putting on the South Fork Fest

on Friday, Aug. 15 to Saturday, Aug. 16. The event will be held along the South Fork of the Snake River at Aspen Grove Inn near Heise Bridge in Ririe.

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“It was amazing last year. We had so much fun. There was a really good turnout and response from the public,” said Caleb Brown, one of the members on the board of directors for the South Forks Arts Foundation, Inc. “We feel like for our first year, it was a big success.”

Brown said there was also a positive response from the bands who performed last year. He mentioned musicians who expressed interest in coming back and playing again this year, and some of those musicians’ friends reached out asking to be part of future festivals.

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This year, the family-friendly festival will feature two stages, and over 20 artists will perform. There will be regional bands and touring artists that will showcase different genres of music.

“The main headliner is an artist named Shawn Hess. He is based out of Laramie, Wyoming,” Brown said. “He is gathering quite the following. He has several videos on a YouTube channel called Western AF, which has a really big reach with millions of views on their artists.”

There will also be performances by a band out of Salt Lake City, Utah, called “The Swinging Lights.” Sienna George, who has performed at Carnegie Hall, will be there, as will the Honey Dos, an Idaho Falls-based duo. To view the entire lineup, click here.

Brown and Colter Wilson, another member of the board of directors for the South Forks Arts Foundation, Inc., explained that part of their goal with the festival is to film high-quality footage of the artists playing their songs.

“We feel like last year a lot of the folks were excited about their videos and said how helpful they were in booking more shows and being able to share them with fans,” Brown mentioned. “We feel like it’s a win-win for both the artists and the festival to invest in the film crews and the audio engineers to capture the performances.”

Various food options will be available for purchase at the festival, and different vendors, such as art vendors, will be on-site.

“That will give people something else to do in between sets or if there’s a band they are waiting to listen to, they will be able to keep themselves entertained,” Brown said.

Raffles will also be held throughout the event, thanks to local businesses that have donated items such as two guitars (each worth $500 to $600), a guided trip down the South Fork (worth $2,000), and a fly rod (worth roughly $500).

A fishing workshop and a youth talent show will also take place. To register for the talent show, email info@southforkfest.com.

New this year are ticket packages. If people want to buy camping spots—either tent or RV—they can get discounted tickets. There is also the option to buy a “party pass,” which is a 10-pack of tickets that comes with a “heavy discount.”

Presale tickets are currently available until June 30, 2025, and prices will increase starting in July. To buy tickets and check pricing, click here. Wilson said they are looking for volunteers to work the event and noted there are incentives for doing so. For more information, click here.

“We are wanting more of the volunteers and the musicians and artists that come to have it feel like a networking event for making new friends (and) making new connections to make collaborations with,” Wilson said. “We’re excited about inviting more of the community that is artistic and creative to come so we can all collaborate together in the future.”

Event organizers said that those interested in attending should bring lawn chairs.

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