Every summer, on the second full weekend of July, country music fans from across the United States flock to Rhinelander, Wisconsin to settle in and make a home for themselves at the Hodag Country Festival.
"Hodag" History
On the weekend of August 4-6, 1978, 500 people got together at Bernie Eckert's land on River Road in Rhinelander to see Freddy Fender, Jana Jae, Joe Stampley, Hank Thompson, and Leroy Van Dyke sing their hearts out. The small country festival took its name from the town's official mascot, the Hodag, a fictitious monster from area folklore.
Since the original "Hodag" (as it has come to be known), attendance has increased from the small group of 500 to approximately 70,000 festival goers in 2010, and it now hosts up to four entertainers each night from Thursday through Sunday.
The location has never changed- it's still held on the Eckert's land on River Road.
Attracting some of Country music's most prevalent stars such as Phil Vassar, Brad Paisley, George Jones, Dierks Bentley and Neal McCoy, Hodag has become one of the most popular country music festivals in the United States for both fans and performers alike.
Neal McCoy
"This is our favorite place to play in the whole United States," said country star Neal McCoy in an interview with Music Beat, about filming his concert DVD, Neal McCoy Live, at the 2006 Hodag.
Since 1994, McCoy has performed at the festival every year, and has become the unofficial festival mascot. His face and name are even lent to the countdown listed on the festival website.
McCoy's antics while performing include climbing the stage rafters, taking jello shots, harassing costumed audience members, pulling younger fans on stage to sing or be sung to, and attempting to match the good times of the crowd by pulling pranks and other hijinks.
Toby Keith
Another notable past performance was Toby Keith's 2002 performance of "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue," which included three 15' x 25' flags being run through the lawn-chaired crowd, while pictures of the Twin Towers and fallen soldiers were portrayed on the big screen.
Campsites at Hodag
With a nine day ticket, campers can show up the Saturday before the festival begins and start setting up their campsite.
For many attendees, Hodag is a place to let their hair down and relax, so it's not uncommon to see campsites with themes, games, karaoke, makeshift bars and dance floors, and other friendly ways to draw people in.
Culture of Hodag
A friendly festival, as you pass by campsites on your way back "home," you'll often be met with greetings of "Happy Hodag!" This shared exclamation has been around since the early days, and has never lost its enthusiasm. And everyone, from the seasoned Hodager to the most uncomfortable "virgin" knows the term as welcoming.
While Hodag caters to the country music fan, campers are also there for the atmosphere and friendship it brings. From year to year, people reserve or pick the same campsites in order to chum around with their neighbors or friends from previous years. Lifelong friendships form, marriages are performed and memories are made at this favorite of Wisconsin's many summer music retreats.
Jessica Spengler - Jessica has been a drink writer since 2008, appearing on not only Suite101, but her own blog, Drinkmatron.com and DailyBeerReview.com
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