Sarah Christiaansen/Winonan

Milwaukee may have Summerfest, Chicago may have Lollapalooza and Indio may have Coachella, but Winona, Minn., burrowed between bluffs and the Mississippi River, has something just as wonderful: Mid West Music Fest.

Spanning three days, this festival is filled with banjoes, cabasas, voices with all different vibratos and constant dancing.

But, if I could describe Mid West Music Fest in one word, it would be “community.”

Each show I attended had an overwhelming sense of belonging.

The crowds were welcoming, pulling me in to join instead of pulling my hair, like the crowds in my former pop-punk moshing phase would do.

The community feeling  found among the Mid West Music Fest  attendees was infectious.
With each show I went to, I craved more.

Every band member I met was pleasant and inspiring, and each venue was accommodating.
My only regret is that I didn’t start going sooner.

My bright yellow wristband worn proudly around my arm, I went to shows each day of the festival.
On Thursday, the first band I saw perform was a local, Americana-folk-bluegrass band called Jaybone Bell & Restless Light.

This was a perfect start to my festival experience.

The energy of the band was contagious as each member wielded his instrument with skill.

The crowd loved the show, but better yet, the band loved the crowd and loved its response to the music.

Band member Kelly Blau could testify to the fact.

“The experience is unlike anything else,” he said. “A Winona audience is by the far the most generous crowd I have ever played for, and I’m positive most of the other bands would agree with me.”

Next was folk musician Charlie Parr.

I fell in love with his banjo playing and his humility.

With each chord he played and each note he sang, I became proud.

It’s weird to be proud of someone you have never met, but his music had that affect on me.

By the end of the evening I was already ready for Saturday’s events to begin.

The pinnacle of my Mid West Music Fest experience was seeing Caroline Smith & The Goodnight Sleeps on Friday.

In my time in Winona, this band has performed at least five times, and I had never been able to attend.

I’m so happy my just-missed-one-of-my-favorite-bands streak was ended.

A cute, curly-haired blond woman who plays folk-indie-pop music, Caroline Smith was confident and fun.

Her show made me want to sing, dance and just be free.

All of which I did.

On Saturday, I saw another band with a female lead, The Sudden Lovelys. After about two songs, I found myself suddenly in love.

Paige and Danny Ferraro are a married couple who perform “aggressive folk” music.

Their voices melted together perfectly, as did their instruments.

Danny mostly played guitar and a drum that looked like a suitcase, while Paige played a cymbal, snare drum and, my favorite, a red tambourine.

My night and festival experience ended on Saturday with The Big Wu. Their Facebook page lists their genre as, “Rock/ Blues/ Soul/ Country/ Bluegrass/ Funk…….and FUN!!!!”

I agree with all of these categories.

Chelsea Knox, a senior at Winona State University, also agreed.

“I liked that there wasn’t a set ending to each song,” Knox said.“They played until they felt it was a good time to finish.”

Knox said the show felt more like a practice than a concert because the band was “just doing their thing and having fun. And that made everyone else have fun.”

The crowd at the show was welcoming and lively.

I danced with people I didn’t know and got serenaded by friends and new acquaintances alike.
That sense of community was the strongest I had felt it.

Overall, the Mid West Music Fest was, in one word, perfect.

It was three days of pure bliss.

“I’ve said it once and I will say it again,” Blau said. “Mid West Music Fest is greater than my birthday, Christmas and hot showers combined. Can’t wait for next year!”

Contact Sarah at [email protected]