Mitchell — Finally, the entertainment line-up for the 2023 Corn Palace Festival was announced Thursday.
Corn Palace director Doug Greenway has announced that country music star Michael Ray will headline the festival’s first concert on Friday, August 25. Ray has had several hits, including “Kiss You in the Morning,” which charted at the top of the country music charts.
The Rock of Ages Band will hit the Corn Palace stage on Saturday, August 26th. Greenway said the Rock of Ages Band is not a popular Broadway show, but a concert band playing hits from the ’80s.
“There will be free entertainment at Corn Palace Plaza for the rest of the night,” Greenway said of the outdoor concert.
Up to four ticketed shows have been held in the last few years. However, he will have two major entertainment acts at this year’s festival. Local artists perform on the Plaza Stage on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays throughout the festival.
The announcement of the 2023 Corn Palace Festival on Thursday put an end to the long wait for music fans in the Mitchell area. The Corn Palace Festival entertainment line-up is usually announced in late winter or early spring, well before the event in late August. Greenway said the challenge is securing performers for this year’s show.
As time passed this summer with no lineup announced for the next festival, Mayor Bob Everson urged the Corn Palace Events and Entertainment Commission in early June to call for action. While the board is responsible for agreeing on an entertainment line-up, it disagreed with several artists, including country musicians Co Wetzel and Scotty McCreery.
“In my opinion, rather than trying to find someone who will be here in 2023, we should be looking at what we are doing for 2024 at this stage of the game,” Everson said in early June. Speaking at the Corn Palace Board of Directors. . “So what I want to say to you is, gear up and get this done.”
In addition to musical entertainment, the August 23-27 festival features carnival rides, pedal-pulling events for local children, and food stalls.
Sam Fosnes joined The Mitchell Republic in May 2018. He grew up in Mitchell, South Dakota and graduated from Mitchell High School. He continued his education at the University of South Dakota in Vermilion, graduating in 2020 with a BA in Journalism and a minor in English. During his college years, Fosnes worked as a news and sports reporter for Volante newspaper.
