Steel Bridge Songfest Takes Over Sturgeon Bay June 8-11

Copperbox at SteelBridge Songfest. Photo by Len Villano

From June 8-11, this picturesque Door County community will once again rock to the original music of Steel Bridge Songfest. More than 130 songwriters and bands from across the country will perform at the event, held at nine indoor and outdoor venues. Confirmed acts include Brett Newski, who was recently named “Best Singer Songwriter” at the Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) Awards; indie sensation Geri X of St. Petersburg, Fla.; folk-country chanteuse Sugar Ransom of Milwaukee (winner of WAMI’s “Best Folk/Celtic” award); Los Angeles-based Eric McFadden, formerly with P-Funk; and Grammy nominee pat mAcdonald (Timbuk3/Purgatory Hill).

The festival will feature free evening concerts on June 8 as well as performances by individual acts at various venues in Sturgeon Bay’s historic downtown from Thursday to Saturday. There will also be daytime performances between 1 and 6 pm on June 10 & 11, hosted by the Holiday Music Motel. Both days will feature music on two outdoor stages, one in the Holiday parking lot and one on the rooftop.

Many of the event’s featured performers take part in the “Construction Zone,” a weeklong songwriting marathon hosted by the Holiday Music Motel that infuses the festival with a slew of new songs each year. The songs are performed on stage, recorded on site, then made available for sale at local businesses and through the Steel Bridge website (SteelBridgeSongfest.org).

For a detailed schedule and a list of performers and venues, visit steelbridgesongfest.org. Tickets can be purchased through Brown Paper Tickets at brownpapertickets.com/event/2899732.