LeGrandfest is a Music Festival you’ve probably never heard of. Well, you might be surprised to hear this Minnesota festival is actually running on its fifth consecutive year, hosting yet again another string of talented musical acts pulled from the corners of the Twin Cities and beyond. However, this year is the first time the celebration will take place in a public place instead of a back yard.
On Saturday, August 19th local bands such as Early Eyes, Los Sueños, EL.I.BE Grayson Dewolfe and dozens of others will perform at Polar Lakes Park in White Bear Lake from 11 AM – 8 PM.
LeGrandFest began in 2013 when the founder, Mitchell LeGrand, and his high school band mates caught wind their booking agency was about to go out of business. The group had just prepared for a show at Station 4 in St. Paul with a full set and new gear. So, instead of accepting defeat, the guys hosted their own show in Mitchell’s backyard. Every year it’s gotten bigger with more attendees, more bands on the bill, and larger stages built.
The goal of LeGrandfest has always been to give musicians a chance to play an outdoor show for a diverse crowd that wouldn’t normally get many gigs; those just starting out, or simply wanting to have a good time with their buds! This year, nearly forty bands will get their shot. Four stages will have back and fourth performances rocking all day long.
We sat down with one of the founders of LeGrandfest, Mitchell LeGrand, and asked him a few questions about his festival that’s coming up on August 19th!
How did you come up with the idea for LeGrandfest?
LeGrandfest started when my friends and I were in a high school band. Right before a gig we had lined up at Station 4 in St. Paul, the organization we worked for went out of business. We had just purchased new equipment and rehearsed a new set, so instead of letting that all go to waste, we decided to throw our own concert in my backyard. We build a stage out of old pallets we took off the side of the road, used doors from Menards, and carpet we stole from the dumpster of a flooring store.
We then invited everyone over we knew and invited a couple other friends in bands and had a rocking party. That was the 1st LeGrandfest and every year we have gotten bigger and better and had to move out of our space. Last year we were in Hugo Minnesota, trying to avoid bothering neighbors and needing sound permits. The police showed up during sound check looking for our permits, don’t worry the show went on just fine! But we took that as a sign that this year we need to do the real deal festival by the book. It is our 5th year and we feel ready for it!
What can we all expect from this year’s Festival?
You can expect 38 local bands and artists to be rocking at 4 stages! We tried to book enough variety that everyone who attends can find one person they enjoy. We have everything from hip-hop to punk rock to acoustic pop to indie! The music, for the most part, is family friendly and it is a long day, so come for as much or as little as you would like. There will also be some food trucks for you to enjoy a meal at! There are also some local artists and vendors for people to walk around and check out!
What are you most excited about with this year’s festival?
Honestly, just to see what happens! None of us have ever done anything like this! The process was long to get this going. We went to city board meetings, had to gather some sponsors, had to get the bands to agree, had to learn to write contracts, had to email possible vendors, and so on! We aren’t event planning majors or business majors or even music majors! We just like music, people, and being able to provide people with a good day! So we are excited for that!
What would you say is the toughest part about making LeGrandfest into the real thing?
Approval meetings. We thought it would be as easy as renting a public park. Nope, we had to get parks approval, then city planning approval, then revise, then town board approval. It set us back A LOT! Because until that happens you can’t confirm any bands, vendors, or sponsors. This event honestly came together over the course of two months, so it is amazing how much the team has accomplished and made happen with such a time budget and the smaller financial budget that comes with that.
Are all 5 of the founder’s musicians? If so, what instruments do each play?
We should clarify that not all of us are “the founders.” Only two of us are from the original group of five from the band. Luke and Mitchell always lead the event. Luke has always been the technical guy who set up the sound and made the sound. Mitchell always did the organizing and staging. Luke plays lead guitar typically with an occasional vocal feature and Mitchell is typically rhythm guitar and singing. Both of them play a lot of instruments, but those are the main ones when they perform.
LeGrandfest is entirely student run, and mostly student funded as well. This is a festival created by the passion and hard work of individuals who believe in the power of music. Donations help keep this festival running, so if you’re a local music fan, don’t hesitate to give what you can to support their efforts. To purchase tickets, donate or learn more about LeGrandFest, visit their website, here.
