Before he became one of the biggest stars in bluegrass and country music, Billy Strings grew up in Muir, a small community located between Lansing and Grand Rapids.
The Grammy Award-winning artist is showing some hometown pride this summer with his upcoming music festival, dubbed the “Ionia Freak Fair.”
Strings shared new details and ticketing information for the event, set for Friday, Aug. 28 and Saturday, Aug. 29 at the Ionia County Fairgrounds.
He’ll be joined by an impressive lineup of other acts across the genres of bluegrass and jam bands, including fellow Michiganders Greensky Bluegrass, Leftover Salmon, Sierra Hull, Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper, Lindsay Lou, Full Cord, Mark Lavengood, and others.
And continuing with that hometown pride, tickets are being prioritized for locals, with a presale launching Thursday on ioniafreakfair.com that is restricted to residents who live within 20 miles of the venue.
Tickets for the general public go on sale at noon on Friday, Feb. 13.
The organizers encouraged fans to book nearby campsites to attend both performances.
The Ionia County Fairgrounds are located at 317 S. Dexter St., Ionia.
Strings, 33, has brought bluegrass music to the top of the charts again thanks to his mix of traditional sounds and psychedelic rock, developing a cult-following with sets that span around three hours. He recently earned a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album with his 2024 LP Highway Prayers.
Strings last performed in the Detroit area with two back-to-back shows at Pine Knob in October 2024.
