July 9, 2014 at 4:26 p.m.
2014 Hodag Country Festival ready to kick off
2014 Hodag Country Festival ready to kick off
Everything is ready and the only thing missing is the musicians themselves.
The vendor stands are up. Folding chairs fill the field in front of the enormous stage.
The coolers are packed, the cowboy hats are unpacked and camper after camper is already blasting country music from sun up until, well, sun up again.
The 2014 installment of the Hodag Country Festival kicks off on Thursday night when Marty's Party takes the main stage to warm up the crowd. It will be the first of many incredibly concerts that will take place over four days at the festival grounds just outside of Rhinelander.
For many though, the party has already started. Many Hodagers come up the week before. They park their camper in their spot, or out in overflow, and just kind of vacation until the shows start.
Cindy Moore made the trip from Prentice a few days before the shows started. She said she looks forward to Hodag all year long.
"I've been coming here for 14 years now," she said. "It's about the music and the friends. The people you meet up here all seem to be really nice. We met some friends in the chair line the very first year we came up here. We're still really good friends with them to this day. That's pretty cool."
As Thursday night draws closer, the campgrounds will fill up at a faster and faster rate until the whole place is bursting at the seams.
Every square inch of the festival grounds will be alive with the spirit of the event.
There are bean bag games and campfires. Country fans belt out the lyrics to their favorite songs. Volleyball nets are set up and there's always plenty of Slip 'N Slides.
What's most memorable though, and what most people take away from Hodag, is the character of the people.
Sue Taylor came up from Appleton and said she's not surprised anymore by the welcome she receives from total strangers.
"This year will be my eighth consecutive Hodag," she said. "It's something I look forward to all year long. I love country music and I think the bands that come to Hodag are always very good. Everyone is so nice too. Everyone says 'Happy Hodag' to you and is willing to give you a drink. At first, I couldn't believe it. That's why I come back."
Everyone has their own Hodag traditions. Alisha Neinfeldt of Chippewa Falls said she loves her morning ritual at the festival.
"This is my sixth Hodag this year," she said. "It's good friends, good food, good beer and good music. That's what keeps me coming back. We get breakfast every year at the little cafe out here, and we always get lots of baked potatoes. It's a lot of fun."
At the event's very core, the Hodag is about great country music and this year's lineup is sure to deliver.
Moore said she can't wait for the shows to start and thinks this year's acts are a nice mix of current and classic country.
"I'm really looking forward to Darius Rucker and, of course, Neal McCoy," she said. "He always puts on such a good show. Kenny Rogers will be fun. I like hearing some of the old-time songs."
Neinfeldt said she prefers some of the newer acts and is looking forward to seeing some of Nashville's freshest stars.
"I'm really excited for Craig Campbell," she said. "He's great. Jerrod Niemann will be really fun, and I'm actually really excited to see Eric Paslay too."
Taylor can't wait to hear one of her favorite songs live for the first time.
"I can't wait for Darius Rucker," she said. "I really like his songs, especially 'Wagon Wheel.' I think he's going to be really good."
And that's what it's really all about. It's good country music and a whole heap of people excited to listen. That's Hodag and it's finally here.
Enough charge. Get ready to explode.
Andy Hildebrand may be reached at [email protected].
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