“This event was designed to be the exemplification of community-focused,” organizer Drew Free said. All ages are welcome to The Middle of NOWhere fest. Local musicians Cedar County Cobras, Chill Mac, EP and John Z, Levy, Miyani and Sam Bodey are all performing. Additionally, there will be over fifty visual artists, and the grounds for the festival include an area for community engagement, yard games, group art activities and face painting. Two food trucks and a snow cone stand will be available as well.
Emmett Philips, a local actor, poet, musician and educator will be emceeing the festival. The musician line-up promises a mix of genres, from old-style blues to hip-hop.
Free, along with John Barber, owner of the Cellar Winery, Siriaco Garcia, a local artist, and local entrepreneur Kris Gardner coordinated the festival.
“The festival was Siricasso’s (Garcia) idea. He felt that Iowa and its rural areas are taken for granted, so he wanted to showcase the art, music, food, community and natural beauty from there,” Free explained. "John Barber heard Siri (Garcia) being interviewed on IPR in February and reached out wanting to meet him. After giving him a tour of the winery and sharing some ideas, the festival was officially born.”
The Cellar Winery is a relatively new business, having opened May 2023. It's located on a gravel road just two miles outside Madrid. The winery’s air-conditioned tasting room is open throughout the fest as well.
One way the festival has been made accessible to local visual artists is its low artist fee: $10. All the artist fees go to staffing the event.
Follow along for festival information on the official Instagram page, @themonfest, where event organizers have been posting short biographies of the artists and vendors slated to appear.
The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m July 20. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, as seating will be limited in the vineyard. The festival also recommends bringing items to keep cool and hydrated. And — be sure to bring cash to tip the performers and bar staff. Most artists and vendors accept cash and digital payment options.
