APPLETON – Rolling Stone, the month-to-month music and popular culture journal learn by hundreds of thousands of individuals throughout the nation, featured a narrative on this month’s subject about Appleton’s personal Mile of Music.
The article revealed on-line Wednesday. It describes Appleton’s annual competition as “the blueprint for methods to foster rising expertise,” and highlights the competition’s star therapy of up-and-coming musicians, its give attention to totally unique music and its free admission.
Mile of Music co-founder and government producer Dave Willems stated Rolling Stone has been contacted lately by “various artists down within the Nashville space” who believed Mile of Music ought to be highlighted on a nationwide scale.
“They have been singing our praises for the Mile and what Appleton has created, and for the way they’re handled after they come to Appleton,” Willems stated.
Mile of Music, which was first hosted in 2013, has change into a staple of the summer time for a lot of locals and followers across the state, yearly drawing artists from throughout the nation — and a few from exterior the nation. Musicians are welcomed with free meals, free lodging and the “Artist Care Program,” which offers free providers like bodily remedy, massages, listening to screenings, dental care and pores and skin most cancers screenings. Additionally they get a platform to play unique music, with free admission drawing massive crowds who might not have beforehand been conscious of the artists.
Willems stated arduous work from not solely Mile of Music’s organizers, but additionally the competition’s group companions, sponsors, volunteers and venues, has allowed the competition to develop to what it’s as we speak.
“Our annual survey that we do after the competition exhibits that 96, 97, 98% of the individuals coming to the competition wish to come again. That is what I believe has created the momentum for this effort,” Willems stated. “And now, throughout the artist group across the nation, they completely have Appleton circled on their calendar yearly.”
Willems stated Rolling Stone is the most important media platform to publish a narrative about Mile of Music. He stated he hopes the elevated consideration is not going to solely deliver extra followers and musicians to Mile of Music every August, but additionally spotlight Appleton as a welcoming group for musicians year-round.
“We have already gotten fairly a little bit of reach-outs from individuals fascinated by realizing extra in regards to the competition and realizing extra about Appleton, however they’re additionally asking about Appleton as a complete, the music scene all year long,” Willems stated. “I believe as we proceed to construct that, I believe that is going to be a big increase for us in terms of taking all the pieces to that subsequent stage — which is to actually have Appleton change into an unique music vacation spot all year long.”
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Contact Kelli Arseneau at (920) 213-3721 or [email protected]. Comply with her on Twitter at @ArseneauKelli.
