ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
Those looking for some good music, fun and food will soon need to look no further than Southwest Kansas.
The 2024 High Plains Music Fest will be Saturday, Sept. 14 at Dirtona Raceway in Hugoton, with the gates opening at 4 p.m. and the music lasting from 6 p.m. to midnight. The opener will be Maddox Ross, followed by Bailey Rae, then Grady Spencer and The Work, and then the headliner, The Great Divide.
“We're always excited for this event because the money we raise goes to multiple charities in the area. We're excited to have this in the community for people that includes great and enjoyable music, but being able to give back is the absolute best part,” coordinator Alisha Owens said. “The charities we'll be giving back to are Project Hope, Peace House Ministries, the Rolla Fire Department, Southwest Miracles, Hands of Hope, Panhandle Partners, the Stevens County Fire Department, Love From Above (which is part of Pheasant Heaven Charities), Hugoton After Prom, Boy Scouts Troop 198, and the Dust Bowl Riders. We’re looking for that night to just be a great time for everyone.”
Owens also praised the musicians in the lineup for that evening.
“We never really have anything in stone as far as 'We HAVE to have this or that,' we always want to stay with the Red Dirt Country and/or classic rock or Southern Rock, so we look for musicians we think would fit that and would be well received in this area,” Owens said. “We also take feedback on social media to gauge what people are thinking, and of course we get some of the really big name headliners, but we also get suggestions of artists we've never even heard of before, so it's all about supplying the community with an event that provides great entertainment. I don't think we've ever really disappointed anyone, I feel like the musicians we get every year are pretty well received. With Maddox Ross, some might consider him more local since he's from central Oklahoma, and he does have some ties to the area. Then, The Great Divide's been around for a long time, so they've gathered quite a following, and the other artists just impressed us with their releases. And sometimes, some artists will be traveling with each other and might be happening to be coming through the area, so there's also some scheduling and those logistics that come into play when putting this together. It's definitely not a situation where we say 'If we don't have X come, we just won't have the event!'”
The main goal of the evening, Owens said, is for attendees to have fun.
“It's a great time, we always end up with great music for people to dance to and listen to for the entire evening, so it's not like we're having just one artist doing a 90-minute set, we've got four awesome musicians who will be performing some great music,” Owens said. “There will also be some great food out there, there'll be dancing and our beer garden, and it'll just be a great event for people to come and enjoy themselves and have a great night. We'll have our flyover, the national anthem will be sung by the Hugoton High School Show Choir, which is a first for us since we've never had a group perform it. They're a great group, they do shows in Branson, Mo. and some other cities, so they're not just our secret, and we wanted to showcase them and their talent. There's just a lot to see and do and listen to, and it should just be a great time.”
And with this year being her first in charge, Owens said she is excited to see how the fun ends up, and she also gave praise to the other members of the coordinating board.
“I've actually been on the board for the past seven years, and this is the eleventh year of us hosting this event. Our previous leader, Jan Leonard, stepped down because he moved, and he'd started this back before this became High Plains Music Fest, and after he left, the rest of the board has stepped up and taken more roles in helping this come together for this year,” Owens said. “But again, my favorite part is seeing everyone have a good time and seeing all the smiling faces and seeing everyone dancing and enjoying the great music. If we didn't have such a great board and so many great volunteers, this event would absolutely not be happening, so I can't give enough praise to everyone who works behind the scenes.”
Even though the concert fills the whole evening, Owens said there is even more fun to be had that day.
“The National Wild Turkey Federation will again be auctioning off some items between the third performer and our headliner, and they always bring a lot of cool stuff and do a great job with that event, so I have to give thanks to them for everything they do,” Owens said. “Prior to the music, I believe the fall fling will still be going on that day, and there will be several vendors for crafts and food and some other stuff, but anyone wanting information about that would need to get in touch with our Chamber of Commerce. Also, the Great American Kite Company will also be on hand with their giant kites, and that's an awesome family event because the children are always amazed at the giant kites and even get to fly some of the smaller kites that are brought. It's going to be a day filled with fun and games and music and everything else in between.”
Overall, Owens said, the 2024 High Plains Music Fest should be another success.
“If you're coming in from out of town, why not go ahead and make a full day of it? There's going to be a lot going on, and you definitely won't miss any of the music that evening. You can have fun and walk around all the fall fling vendors and watch the giant kites, and then make your way across the road to Dirtona Raceway and take in some great music that evening,” Owens said. “I love the food and everything else that comes through, there are always multiple fantastic options, and I can't wait to see our musical artists and see how all of that turns out. We did a lot of research when looking for our musical talent, and all of our artists have a bunch of great songs, so I can't wait to see everyone out there taking everything in.”
