WTIP Radio’s 12th annual Radio Waves festival reports a diverse music lineup and high attendance

September 13, 2019—Grand Marais, MN—In keeping with Radio Waves tradition, the Cook County Community Swing Band filled the large stage on Friday, September 6, at Sweetheart’s Bluff in the Grand Marais Recreation Area. The band warmed up a crowd that grew to 550 Friday evening attendees, many who had taken advantage of the online, pre-sale ticket option—a service new for this year. On Saturday, an estimated 650 music lovers enjoyed a full day of cool, fall weather and eclectic performances, including Sky Blue, Sam Miltich and Briand Morrison, Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers, and the Carpenter Ants, leading up to electric performances by the mother/daughter trio Dlutkowskis and Lutsen’s own Joshua J Schmidt. The Carpenter Ants returned on Sunday, treating their morning audience to a long set of gospel soul, with guest Carah Thomas, who sang harmony and lead on a number of songs. The Festival continued with local acts Lake Effect, Joe Paulik Band and a diverse and multi-generational show by the teachers and students of the Grand Marais Music Collaborative. The 2019 Festival closed with a lively set by Duluth’s Ska-influenced group Woodblind. Overall attendance at this three-day festival reached 1,435, including over 160 music fans under 12, many of whom got to take home a freshly-printed Radio Waves 2019 t-shirt, created onsite by Mike Swindlehurst of Set Out Screen Printing.

Organized by WTIP North Shore Radio and sponsored by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, the Grand Marais Area Tourism Association, Gunflint Trail Association and Visit Cook County, the event showcases local, regional and national music acts. WTIP’s partnership with Legacy funding allows the station to keep ticket prices affordable for all, connects musical performers with new audiences, helps to strengthen the network of local non-profits like North House Folk School, the North Shore Music Collaborative, the Colvill Fire Department, who ran a food booth at the Festival, and the Violence Prevention Center who had presence at the Festival all day on Saturday. Said Director Jodi Yuhasey, “…it was a very fun day and gave us the opportunity to connect with community, share bubbles and bracelets with both kiddos and folks that are kiddos at heart.”

Radio Waves is the place for residents and visitors to experience the arts and culture of the North Shore in a dynamic and inspired outdoor event, just a stone’s throw from Lake Superior. An independent, volunteer-driven radio station, WTIP relies on the support of community members, so this event also helps to connect the station to potential new listener members and fans of locally produced radio. While the event is not a fundraiser for WTIP, it continues to be a community outreach event enjoyed by all ages. For more details, visit www.wtip.org and find Radio Waves under the “Events” menu.