Moonshadow Festival Announces Music and Events For Solar Eclipse Celebration

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CENTRAL OREGON SOLAR ECLIPSE FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES MUSICAL LINEUP AND EVENTS PLANNED FOR WEEKEND OF AUGUST 18-22ND

Moonshadow Festival offers four days of live music from Oregon bands playing bluegrass, folk, country and classic rock, including a hoedown dance and instruction as part of the traditional Western theme.

Portland bands Crow and the Canyon, The Talbott Brothers and There Is No Mountain headline four days of music at Moonshadow Festival, organizers have announced. The musical lineup also features Wayward Soul, Papa Smoke, Fun With Jo, Carinne Carpenter, Jensen Graham, and the Bottom of the Barrel Band, who will play a hoedown dance taught by Ron Bell-Roemer the afternoon of Saturday, August 19th.

Moonshadow Festival is hosted by Wine Down Ranch near Prineville, Oregon to celebrate the 2017 National Eclipse. Moonshadow Festival will take place August 18 to August 22, 2017. Opportunities to view the total Solar Eclipse on August 21st include open views from the festival grounds and an optional two mile hike to the ridge on Wine Down Ranch. Viewers will be able to see the moon’s shadow as it crosses the neighboring Ochoco National Forest and the Crooked River Valley, casting the sky into nearly two minutes of total darkness. Glasses for safe viewing of the eclipse will be provided with camping passes and Monday day passes.

“Our family is thrilled to open our property and share these incredible views with guests from around the world chasing this summer’s National Eclipse,” said Alia Beyer, event organizer and daughter of Wine Down Ranch proprietors Roy and Mary Beyer. “Moonshadow Festival is the result of our family’s passion for the outdoors, love of ranch life, enjoyment of live music and spirit of hospitality. We hope to showcase the best that Prineville and Central Oregon have to offer while also giving back to the local community through this event.”

A screening of the documentary “Unbroken” at dusk will be part of the festival kick-off Friday evening, preceded by a live set from Fun With Jo. Western writer Rick Steber, award-winning author of over thirty books, will take the stage Saturday evening for storytelling while several other cowboy and ranch demonstrations are planned over the four-day festival. An artisan market and food vendors will be open throughout the weekend for festival-goers, as well as local beers and wines for guests ages 21 and over provided by Bigfoot Beverages.

Live music yoga, featuring Will Dudley of Portland, kicks off daily activities on Saturday and Sunday mornings (August 19-20) while guests of all ages are welcome to participate in a poker hike on Saturday and explore marked hiking trails across the ranch’s 2,100 forested acres during their stay. A guided hike will be offered to see the solar eclipse on Monday, August 21st from a ridge at 4,400 feet on the Wine Down Ranch, and an Open Mic stage on Monday afternoon gives festival-goers a chance to be part of the entertainment and celebration. Stargazing will be offered nightly to experience Central Oregon’s famously dark skies.

Moonshadow Festival offers four-night outdoor, dry camping for tents, trailers and RVs and single-day visitor passes for guests coming from near and far. RV camping passes are $600 per vehicle (up to two people); additional persons can be added for $200 each. Tent camping passes are $250 per person, with no set limits on tent size or space. Day passes can be purchased in advance for $50 for adults, $25 for juniors ages 11 to 17. Children ages 10 and under are free for camping or single-day admission with a paid adult. Daily parking is $10 or weekend parking is $25. A portion of event proceeds will benefit MountainStar Family Relief Nursery in Central Oregon and The MISSIO Project.

SCHEDULE OF CONFIRMED EVENTS

Friday, August 18th

  • Festival gates open at 3:00 p.m.
  • Music: Fun With Jo
  • Starlight Movie: “Unbroken”

Saturday, August 19th

Sunday, August 20th

Monday, August 21st

  • Eclipse Viewing (optional ridge hike)
  • Open Mic

Additional activities will be announced at MoonshadowFestival.com. Moonshadow Festival is actively seeking sponsors, artists, vendors and volunteers to participate in the weekend event. Email festival organizers for more information.

About the Wine Down Ranch: A family-owned working cattle ranch, Wine Down Ranch is nestled against the Ochoco National Forest, eleven miles northeast of Prineville. Since 2014, guests have enjoyed staying in ranch cabins to “wine down” and explore Central Oregon.