CHOOSE CHATT™ BLOG

Moon River Music Festival Lineup Announced for 2021

Moon River Returning to Chattanooga This Fall

The Moon River Music Festival made a big splash when it relocated to Chattanooga in 2018 – tickets were sold out within 24 hours. In 2019, the festival experienced its highest attendance to date, with approximately 24,000 music lovers taking over Coolidge Park to enjoy a weekend of the best in indie, folk, and Americana. Although the COVID-19 pandemic waylaid plans for 2020’s festival, Moon River recently announced its return to the Scenic City on September 11 and 12, 2021.

Screaming Excited Crowd at the Moon River Festival

What It Is

Founded in 2014 by Drew Holcomb of Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, the Moon River Music Festival is a family-friendly, community-focused event on the banks of the Tennessee River in celebration of all things music. Though the festival was originally based in Memphis, Chattanooga’s beautiful Coolidge Park now has the honors of hosting the two-day event. More than 20 performances showcasing acclaimed artists are held on two stages over the course of the unforgettable weekend. The Avett Brothers, Judah & the Lion, Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit, and Johnnyswim are just a few of the incredible acts that have graced the Moon River stages in recent years. 

But that’s not all! Festival favorites such as The Treehouse (great for kids and kids at heart) and the Lookout Lodge (great for football fanatics who won’t want to miss the weekend’s top college and NFL matchups) make sure that entertainment abounds across all age groups and interests. If you’re worried about not having a space to relax and recharge (both yourself and your mobile devices), the Lookout Lounge also provides a comfortable spot for you to do so. Local food vendors on-site also add to the festival experience, as does the Tennessee Tavern – a curated cocktail and craft beer hub. Additional interactive outdoor activities take place all weekend long.

New health and safety measures in line with local guidelines will be in place this year to ensure that all attendees – from the artists to the fans and staff – feel comfortable and safe.

Kids playing in the fountain at Coolidge Park

Who Will Be There

The 2021 Moon River Music Festival lineup is one that’s sure to impress, With Wilco and Lord Huron set to headline this year’s festival.

Wilco, an alternative rock band based in Chicago, has eleven studio albums in their discography, the most recent of which – Ode to Joy – was released in October 2019. Made up of members Jeff Tweedy, John Stirratt, Glenn Kotche, Mikael Jorgenson, Nels Cline, and Pat Sansone, the band has garnered both mainstream and critical success, with their fifth studio album, A Ghost is Born, winning two Grammy awards. Dubbed by some as the “American Radiohead” due to their stylistically diverse catalog, the band identifies their sound as “eclectic indie rock.”

Lord Huron, a folk band and indie darling based in Los Angeles, debuted their first album, Lonesome Dreams, in 2012, and has followed with two more studio albums since, the latest of which was released in 2018. The band, which includes founding member Ben Schnieder as well as Mark Barry, Miguel Briseño, and Tom Renaud, is perhaps best known for the song, “The Night We Met,” which was featured on their second studio album and has reached certified platinum status with over 735 million streams. 

The lineup also includes music from Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors, Lake Street Dive, Old Crow Medicine Show, Hippo Campus, Indigo Girls, Dr. Dog, Dawes, Shovels & Rope, YOLA, COIN, Mipso, Amythyst Kiah, Molly Tuttle, Madison Cunningham, Rebirth Brass Band, Seratones, Overcoats, The National Parks, American Aquarium, and Allison Russell.

Crowd at Moon River at Sunset in Coolidge Park

How to Get Tickets

General tickets are now on-sale at http://www.moonriverfestival.com/tickets. Both General Admission and VIP tickets are available, with VIP ticket holders getting access to a special Friday, September 10 event at Chattanooga’s Walker Theatre as well as exclusive festival viewing areas and lounges. Don’t miss out on the “To the Moon” Giveaway, where guests can enter to win a pair of VIP tickets along with a Meet & Greet with Drew Holcomb. This year, part of each ticket’s proceeds will support both Outdoor Chattanooga and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

 

The Moon River Music Festival has staked its claim as one of the top music festivals in the Southeast. Make sure you don’t miss out on this year’s fantastic lineup!

Moon River 2021 Lineup

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