It’s been quite a summer. Heat waves all over the country, flooding in North Dakota and here in the Pacific Northwest it’s been rainy and cloudy making us wonder if we’ll ever actually get a summer. Whatever the weather, folks are determined to have a good time and there have been great music festivals happening all over the country. We’re super stoked to be ticketing a bunch of them.

One that caught my eye was The Dawg Daze of Summer Festival at Lake Paradise Resort in Lone Jack, Missouri starting next Thursday, August 4. Not only do they have 40 bluegrass, blues, funk and rock bands on 4 stages, it’s all taking place at a resort that has access to five picturesque lakes with plenty of fishing. Need more encouragement? How about open acoustic jam sessions, organic food vendors, putt-putt golf, volley ball, shuffle board, bounce houses and other activities for the kiddies. There will even be roving actors acting out a fictional hillbilly feud with a soundtrack performed by hillbilly band The Fall Down Drunks. And how about this? A portion of the proceeds will go to benefit tornado victims in Joplin, Missouri, Community Radio Station KKFI 90.1 FM and Embrace Smiles of Kansas City. So you and the kids can have fun, listen to some great music AND support a good cause. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

Headliners include The HillBenders, out of Springfield, Missouri a hot young band on the acoustic Americana scene who won the championship title at the infamous Telluride Bluegrass Festival‘s Band Competition back in 2009. While the band is firmly rooted in bluegrass you can hear rock, country, jazz and blues creeping into their sound and they are headlining the second night of Dawg Daze on Saturday, August 6 on the Main Stage.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuFirFWei3o]

Also, appearing on the Main Stage on Friday, August 5th is the incredible Mountain Sprout out of Eureka Springs, Arkansas. The band describes themselves as “a highly energetic hillbilly music machine” and they do inject their brand of bluegrass with a nice, alcohol-fueled spark that gets toes tapping and folks dancing. I can imagine how great they’re going to sound under that hot summer sun.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imG2W4OW5HE]

Other bands on the bill are Spoonfed Tribe out of Dallas, SHEL from Fort Collins, Colorado and California Voodoo, a Widespread Panic tribute band out of Kansas City. Tickets are going fast for this great music festival that the whole family can enjoy, so head over here and pick up your tickets to Dawg Daze NOW!

Also, tell us what summer’s been like in your neck of the woods. You having a good one? You dying of heat stroke? Want more sun? Let us know in the comments section below. Have a great weekend everyone and stay cool!