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Rothbury
Today, the Rothbury Music Festival gets under way. About 30 thousand people are expected to show up for four days of music from some big names – Dave Matthews Band, and Snoop Dogg, to name a few.

Rothbury

by Dustin Dwyer

Today, the Rothbury Music Festival gets under way. About 30 thousand people are expected to show up for four days of music from some big names – Dave Matthews Band, and Snoop Dogg, to name a few.

The festival takes place at the Double J Ranch in the tiny town of Rothbury, Michigan – it's a few highway exits north of Muskegon.

And while the crowds stream in by the thousands, the few hundred people who live in Rothbury are gearing up for a lively weekend.

This is downtown Rothbury – I'm at the corner of Winston St., and Michigan Avenue, There's a blinking red light – the only stoplight in town. I can see the True Value Hardware Store, and behind me the Rothbury Tavern. And then there's the Wesco gas station. Here there's been a pretty constant stream of cars with license plates from Colorado, North Carolina – everywhere.

Inside Wesco employees try to keep the shelves stocked. Kim Loniecki works on the hot food here. She normally works in Wesco's head office. But she was called in to help get through this weekend's rush. And she's clearly amped up for the occasion. As she talks, she clutches tightly to an energy drink.

"This is easily three times as busy as it has ever been for any occasion," says Loniecki.

Loniecki says people from all over the country started showing up earlier in the week. They'll be camping out at the double J Ranch for the festival. So people are picking up ice, chips, beer, and Loniecki says they're also buying plenty of hot food. Especially grinders.

"We sold 40 in 90 minutes yesterday, and normally 40 is pushing it for three days."

Loniecki heads off for a break, and around a corner I run into a table full of people. They're not eating grinders and they're not here for the festival. These are locals – not a pair of cargo shorts, or a pierced lip among them.

"We're country folk. We come to the big town of Rothbury for church. – and Wesco coffee – Yeah, and Wesco coffee." This is John Luttrull. And the other voice you heard is Teresa Robillard. They both attend Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church just up the raod. And like the workers at the Wesco, they're preparing for a few extra guests this weekend.

"We're hoping that a lot of these partyers will take out time for the Lord on Sunday. And we're right on their path between the ranch and Wesco."

Mass starts at 9 a.m. Sunday.

But in the meantime, most of the festival goers seem more concerned with stocking up on beer and ice. Matt Greer drove up from South Carolina to get to the festival. This is his first time visiting Michigan. But he's a regular to other music festivals. He says so far Rothbury seems to be handling the crush of people pretty well.

"Compared to other festivals, this is handled really well, not traffic like I've seen at a lot of festivals like Bonnaroo or Lingarotto. The gates didn't look too crowded and everybody seems really cool and nice, and I'm excited," says Greer.

That excitement should last at least through Monday, when the festival shuts down. Organizers say if it's a success, they'll make it an annual event.

Dustin Dwyer is a reporter/producer for Michigan Radio.

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