Awesome people at the Hinterland Music Festival at the Avenue of the Saints Amphitheater in St. Charles, Iowa on August 2 - 4, 2024. (Photo: Ralph Arvesen)
Hinterland Music Festival is Iowa's largest music festival. Launched in 2015 as a two-day event, it now takes place annually at the Avenue of the Saints Amphitheater in St. Charles, Iowa. The festival expanded to three days in 2019, but was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns. It grew to a four-day event in 2022 before scaling back to three days in 2023. In its inaugural year, Hinterland attracted around 7,000 attendees per day, and by 2023, daily attendance had risen to 15,000.
This year marked Vampire Weekend's first appearance as the Saturday headliner, while Friday and Sunday were headlined by Hozier and Noah Kahan, both of whom had performed at the festival before (Hozier in 2019 and Kahan in 2023).
Other returning acts include Old Crow Medicine Show (2015 and 2019), Brandi Carlile (2015 and 2019), Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats (2018 and 2022), Hippo Campus (2019 and 2024), Maggie Rogers (2019 and 2023), Tyler Childers (2018 and 2021), Zach Bryan (2021 and 2023), Charley Crockett (2021 and 2024), and Mt. Joy (2021 and 2024). Notable artists who have also graced the Hinterland stage include Willie Nelson (2016), Shakey Graves (2017), Chvrches (2018), Kacey Musgraves (2019), Phoebe Bridgers (2022), Glass Animals (2022), Bon Iver (2023), and Chappell Roan (2024).
This small, rural festival has garnered significant appeal for several reasons. First, the cost: three-day passes start at just $250 before fees, making it more affordable than other festivals like Austin City Limits ($380 for three days), Governors Ball ($359 for three days), or Lollapalooza ($409 for four days).
Additionally, Hinterland consistently features an impressive lineup of popular indie, folk, country, and pop artists, with several performers from this year's lineup ranking among Spotify's top 100 artists, including Hozier (#39), Chappell Roan (#103), and Noah Kahan (#134). Lastly, festival-goers appreciate the unique experience of traveling through endless cornfields to find an indie music oasis tucked away in the heart of Iowa.
However, some attendees criticized the overcrowded and under-prepared atmosphere on the first day, compounded by a heatwave with temperatures reaching 97 degrees on Sunday. Eager fans faced long lines, with some waiting up to two hours just to enter. Hippo Campus had to pause their set multiple times to provide medical assistance to fans suffering from heat exhaustion. Lines for food, water, restrooms, and merchandise were reported to be excessively long. With only two exits and limited shuttles, leaving the festival was a time-consuming process, with shuttle lines stretching over a mile.
Despite these challenges, conditions improved over the next two days. Shade tents were added, attendees were allowed to bring in their own water to prevent dehydration, and the entry and exit processes were streamlined, significantly reducing wait times.
Fan reviews:Hinterland Music Festival
The best music festival ever!
This is an annual pilgrimage of amazing music for me. It’s a well run festival and I look forward to it every year.
Great music, great energy! Fantastic time!
Been going to Hinterland since first year, love all the mixture of bands each year. Many I've never heard of but become instant fans.
Hinterland year in and year out is by far the best festival I have been to. I go to festivals all over the US and this one always gives me goosebumps. Was it a little more packed this year then in past.
Love the music and the camping at Hinterland, the campfire stage is great after the main acts keeps the party going . Such a good time I’ll be back again and again.
Hinterland is a highlight of summer in Iowa! Stellar music, solid vibes and good feels all around. The acts are top notch and the food is delish. Camping makes it extra special and strangers become friends over corn dogs and campfires. One of those weekends where moments are captured and memories are made.
We had the best time! Sure lines were long, and we had to walk about 1/2 mile to the entrance, but isn’t that how all concerts and music festivals are? The lineup was great, and we were able to find some great spots to sit and enjoy the show! The food was so good. Drinks were pricey, but that’s to be expected! Hoping to come back next year!
Amazing venue, even better lineup. Will be back next year!
Excellent event! If you are one who only be happy in a situation where everything is perfectly executed and convenient then maybe the experience isn’t for you. If you are a laid back person who appreciates the opportunity to hear a lot of great artists around a lot of other laid back people, you will love Hinterland!
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Photos by Ralph Arvesen
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