MISSION STATEMENT:
The purpose of the Beaver Island Music Festival is to promote the variety and tradition of all music and art. We want to create opportunities for all artists, be an educational resource, and strongly encourage community and family involvement in an outdoor environment combining nature, renewable energies, music, and artwork. Our main goal is to bring attention to the beautiful world that we live in (especially Beaver Island) by uniting all of these talents and people.

For centuries, strains of music have risen from the deep green forests of Beaver Island. From the drums and chants of the earliest Native tribes, through the forgotten songs of French-Canadian voyageurs and Mormon hymnals, to the nostalgic ballads of the Irish immigrants who later settled this remote haven, music has been a traditional part of the life of its peoples.

Some of those songs sang of the land itself, celebrating the good earth and the natural abundance given by the forests and fields and lakes. They also sang of belonging; of joy and gratitude for the all-embracing beauty that surrounded them; and of the bonds of community.

Today this age-old tradition continues in the form of the Beaver Island Music Festival, at a gathering place nestled in the upland hardwoods of Beaver Isle's West Side. The Festival is a rich mix of music, art, and nature, a sweet summer balm for the restless heart and hurried mind of the outer world. With one step into the clearing where musicians and listeners gather, you can feel the weight of the world wash off you like so much dust, and you emerge renewed. For a time and a space everyone comes together to share in the important things: song and dance, art and laughter, and a light-hearted peace that's worth its weight in gold. And for that time we remember what really matters, and celebrate the gift of its presence in our lives.

That gift is coming around again, and whether you're returning for another taste or making a pilgrimage for the first time, the forest welcomes you. So drink from these waters, and take some of that nourishment back with you when you leave. That's what it's here for.

–Written by Robert Cole