APPLETON (NBC 26) — UPDATE: This event has now been canceled. Details here.
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If you’re already looking forward to Appleton’s next Mile of Music Festival, you don’t have to wait until next August. The Mile of Music’s New Year's Encore Eve, which features some of the festival’s most popular artists, is returning to downtown Appleton again this year.
“We always look at the lineup based upon artists that stood out during the Mile, artists that maybe do something a little bit different and unique that people will want to see for New Year’s Eve,” said festival curator Dave Willems.
This year’s lineup includes performances from original bands Kyle Megna & the Brass Monsoons, Tae & the Neighborly, and Phillip-Michael Scales. The encore is a New Year's tradition as old as the festival itself.
“New year’s Encore Eve really was an idea we had right after the first Mile of Music festival when we had the success and the popularity of bringing these original artists into Appleton," Willems said. "People seemed to really jump at the opportunity to see some of these artists that we refer to as 'artists you may not know but you should.'”
But the pandemic made this year’s encore difficult to plan. While the event would normally be held at Red Lion Hotel, organizers moved it to Gibson Community Music Hall out of concern for rising COVID cases.
“We certainly gave consideration after talking to the healthcare providers about how concerned they were with the number of beds available and the fact that after the holidays, the natural gathering of people, there’s going to be a spike that way,” Willems said.
While the event typically draws anywhere from 600 to 900 people every year, organizers are expecting around 150 people this year. Attendees will be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the start of the event.
“We just decided that for this one event, for this year, that we would be a little bit safer with it and our hope is that by next New Year’s Eve, certainly by next festival, that 2022 looks a lot more like normal,” Willems said.
After the event was canceled last year due to the pandemic, organizers are glad to be able to once again ring in the New Year while supporting local artists.
“There’s usually an Auld Lang Syne performance at midnight," Willems said. "This year the Brass Monsoons are going to march their way through the crowd at midnight and hopefully lead the way to a much brighter and better 2022 which is what we’re all hoping for.”
Tickets can be purchased through the day of the event. Tickets purchased in advance are $30 for the public and $15 for Music-Makers subscribers. Tickets purchased at the door are $35. You can purchase tickets at mileofmusic.com.
