EAST 542 MUSIC FESTIVAL
Country music comes to Mt. Baker Highway
By Kelly Sullivan
The East 542 Music Festival is set to be Washington’s country music party of the summer. The festival, in its first year, will bring some of the biggest names to the Deming Logging Show grounds on September 14 and 15.
 East 542 will be pure country music with a beer garden, BBQ pit, and yes, mechanical bulls, monster trucks, pole climbers, and a
meet-n-greet with Bellingham’s Roller Betties.
Capacity is 4,000 people for the event, and with artists such as Lonestar, Sawyer Brown, Dr. Hook, Crystal Shwanda, Juice Newton and Aaron Pritchett, it will be one of the biggest music events to hit this area.
“We want to be the music festival that everyone puts on their calendar,” said Canadian-American country singer Billie Jo Bryce, who has opened for acts such as Loretta Lynn, Brad Paisley and Tim McGraw, and will also be performing during the festival. As marketing director for East 542, she is ensuring it will be a true-to-form country music festival.
Reserved seating and camping will be available – tickets can be purchased online, which helps avoid lineups at the gate. Vendors, concessions and event merchandise will be inside the grounds. A general store by the campground will have essential supplies. The after-hours party runs 11:30 p.m. through 1:30 a.m., and the first 300 to buy tickets will get in.
The opening performer is Lynden native Rachele Lynae. The rising star is currently on a summer radio tour around the country and will preview her new album at East 542 with her hit single “Party ‘Til The Cows Come Home.”
“I’m a country rocker at heart,” Lynae said. “I was raised with country music.” Lynae said her performance at East 542 is a very important homecoming. She is excited to perform for everyone who supported her when she was still working on her dream in Lynden.
Don Adams, also managing East 542, explains the festival’s partnership with the Whatcom community is the hidden foundation to the festival. Proceeds from the $5 pancake breakfast, the monster truck show and the after-hours cover charge will go to the Summit To Sound Search & Rescue, the local girls’ basketball and junior basketball teams and the Bellingham Little League.
In turn these organizations will provide a hand in flipping pancakes, working at the BBQ pit and helping out with festival security. There will also be a drop-off at the entrance for guests to bring non-perishable food items to be donated to the local food bank.
East 542 is scheduled to be an annual event for the next five years, so it was important to develop a strong relationship with the local community, Bryce said.
“I’m looking forward to seeing everybody come together,” Bryce said. “There’s nothing better than that feeling where all of a sudden you start to see the line of cars coming in. Then, as I like to say, ‘It’s on.’”
For more information, visit 542musicfest.com or call Adams at 604/564-3667 or Bryce at 604/418-8062. X
| east 542 festival schedule |
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13:
Early entry on Thursday at noon for an extra $10 entry fee
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14:
Opening ceremonies will start at 4:45 p.m., entertainment will go until around 11 p.m., followed by the after-hours party at 11:30
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15:
Opening ceremonies will start at 1:30 p.m. and continue
until after 11 p.m.
PRICING:
Camping and Parking:
Non-Serviced Campsite $35
General Parking (cash only) $10 per day
Overnight Parking (cash only) $15
Reserved Seating:
Rows 1-5 $130
Rows 6-16 $125
Non-Reserved Seating:
Friday Single Day $70
Saturday Single Day $60
Full Event Two-day Pass $120
542musicfest.com
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