Now entering its third year, MidWest Friends Fest 2026 has expanded into a three day journey of music, community, and adventure! This year’s festival will take place at the Southgate House Revival in Newport, Kentucky on Thursday, May 28th through Saturday the 30th.
The lineup has been announced and features over 80 bands, both local and national. A few of the national treasures include Bev Rage and the Drinks, Corduroy Brown, Teens In Trouble, Pacing, Joey Aich, Fat Heaven, Hit Like a Girl, Weak Daze, Dad Hats, and Ghost Town Remedy. And a handful of the hometown heroes include The Yugos, Lung, Bear The Moon, Lydia Shae, Knotts, Mango Tree, GrandAce, Tooth Lures A Fang, and LayLow.
In addition to the bands who will make the fest such an exceptional experience, the Fest will be partnering with NKY non-profits SofaBurn, Inc and Start Today Harm Reduction, as well as new and returning community partners PFLAG Cincinnati, 513 Hygiene Care, ACLU Ohio, Abortion Fund of Ohio, and more. Since 2024, the fest has partnered with Start Today Harm Reduction on this event and many others. Since 2025, they have worked closely with SofaBurn, Inc., whose mission is to help cover healthcare costs to musicians and artists in need.
They are also partnering with Esoteric Brewing Company in Walnut Hills on both a collaborative beer release and a sponsored outdoor space for acoustic, solo, duo, and trio musicians, and will be welcoming SRO Prints to the fest for the first time for live screen printing with t-shirts and tote bags available in multiple designs!
Jared Bowers, MidWest Friends Fest 2026 showrunner, shared the following about the event:
“Midwest Friends Fest brings together 80+ like-minded, forward thinking, and incredibly talented bands and musicians for an energetic, inclusive, and positive weekend of music and community. Our team of volunteers reviewed over 900 artist submissions, and we couldn’t be more grateful to the musicians and friends – new and old – who are joining us this year.”
Grab your tickets below and make sure you’re following MidWest Friends Fest on all socials for updates and more!
Tickets: 3-Day Passes | Thursday, May 28 | Friday, May 29 | Saturday, May 30 |
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