Blues Fest survives summer flood, happens on island

By Steve Van Kooten

Thursday, July 25

St. Feriole Island

5 p.m.

People started congregating around the Prairie Dog Blues Fest’s iconic beer tent, waiting for the music to start. Patrons cracked beers and sodas while they set up their chairs and settled in for the fest’s free kick-off party.

Due to the summer flooding on the island, the festival grounds were a work in progress. Vendors and campers were still funneling into the campgrounds, and in the center, stage hands and technicians from Sound Investments were doing the finishing touches on the main stage.

When the Kris Lager Band hit their first chord, it was a victory note. Earlier that week, the Prairie Dog Blues Fest’s future was still uncertain.

“The island was still full of water two weeks ago,” Sharon Yeomans said. “Todd went down to the island, and the water was up to the running boards of his truck.”

“A week ago, there were ducks swimming down here,” Todd Yeomans, the event promoter and owner of Sports World, said. Todd and Sharon confirmed Blues Fest would have happened even if the island was still inundated. The backup location was a section of the County Line Country Fest grounds in Bridgeport.

“Everybody wants to be on the island, but we were very grateful to have a plan B to go to… If we would’ve had to move, we would’ve moved.”

Moving the event to the Country Line grounds would not have been a perfect solution; the Blues Fest runs electrical services, which the Bridgeport grounds do not support, and the lack of shade would have added expenses to purchase tents and fans for attendees.

The waters decreased fast enough, and the ground dried out in time. The grass even managed to start greening before the event started. The island did not smell like dead fish anymore.

“We got that rain Monday and Tuesday—maybe it was Sunday and Monday—and that was helpful because it washed away all the river scum. It was stinky down here,” Sharon said.

“We did have two or three good rains, and that’s all you need,” said Todd. “Mother nature took care of it.”

Mother Nature did the Blues Fest some favors, but it also threw some wrenches into the works, namely a large tree that fell in the middle of the festival’s grounds a few weeks ago. Todd said the tree was removed on Wednesday while festival preparations were in overdrive to get the island ready.

For Todd, it’s worth the effort to bring the fest back for the 26th time.

“I do it because I love the music. I grew up with classic rock, and I found out all of my favorite music came from American Blues,” said Todd. “We’re not just a blues fest; it’s also blues rock.”

As the music filled the beer tent and then exploded across the island, more people congregated. Mike Ulrich, accompanied by his dog Kade, marveled at the island clean-up.

“It’s amazing how the island bounces back,” he said. “There was standing water there last week. I told Todd he was lucky, and he pulled this off. Incredible.”

We stood outside the tent, catching up and laughing. People talked about the difference between the weather in Wisconsin and Georgia, the ins and outs of the journalism business and the time I tricked my son into eating alligator meat. Everyone hung out, shoulder to shoulder, to enjoy the music and each other’s company.

Todd said, “It’s all about getting together and having a good time. Every year, I just hope we can get more locals to take advantage of it. I mean, we’ve got food and free music on Thursday night. Come down and check it out.”

Friday, July 26

The Beer Tent

5 p.m.

“I don’t know what it is about this song that makes me feel like I’m at the right place at the right time,” Kris Lager said as he tuned up the crowd.

Lager has played at the Prairie Dog Blues Fest for many years, most recently in 2019 and 2023.

“The people keep me coming back,” he said. “It’s a well-done festival. Todd does a great job.”

Lager has become a mainstay at the beer tent. The atmosphere is different than playing on a big stage; the audience can get within a few feet of the band.

“I’ve never played the main stage,” he said. “It’s like being in the kitchen at a house party; I feel like I’m in the kitchen—I’m where the beer is at. The beer tent has got a mojo to it.”

Lager’s band played in the beer tent for the first two days of the festival. Billed as an “underground cult hero” by the festival’s program, his music combines a litany of influences, including blues, country and funk, into an indelible sound. Along with his own songs, he played covers of “Sweet Magnolia” and “Born on Bayou.”

Between sets, Lager and his band mates talked to festival goers. With our beers in hand, we discussed every kind of music, from country to jazz to shoegazing. Danny Berger-DeRoos, 26, Lager’s drummer and a member of Secret Formula, started out as a fan of heavy metal.

“I was a big Slip Knot fan, and then I started to learn jazz, and that shifted my whole world,” Berger-DeRoos said. “My favorite band is Phish. There’s music for everything and every feeling.”

As we stood in the beer tent, talking about obscure bands like The Secret Machines and King Gizzard and the Lizard King, Lager’s bassist, Chris Kirk (like the captain), joined in to talk about the improvisation in jazz and Hindustani music; the difference between the music scenes in Houston, Omaha and Nashville; and the payouts in various music markets.

“You got to promote, otherwise people won’t know about it,” Kirk said.

“Some people think it’s tacky, which is stupid,” Berger-DeRoos said.

He continued, “I’m from Omaha. I played a birthday party one time, and there were 15 people there, and I got $2,000.”

Outside the tent, Tim Elliot stood halfway to the stage. He talked about Mud Morgansfield, the eldest son of the Godfather of Blues Muddy Waters, who opened the main stage at 5:30 p.m. Other bands that day included Albert Castiglia and Wayne Baker Brooks.

“By 8:30 or 9, I’ll be center stage with a bunch of friends, and we’ll be hooting and hollering,” he said.

Further back, at the picnic tables outside the tent, Larry LeClaire, from Florida, relaxed and listened to Morgansfield. We talked about the planet’s slowing core rotation, global politics and taxes. We talked about life in America.

Later, LeClaire and I crossed paths again. He had a pulled pork sandwich from Papa’s BBQ, one of the event’s vendors.

Unfortunately, there was not any alligator this year. Four vendors supplied food at the event: a funnel cake stand, Papa’s BBQ, Capelle’s Cuisine and The Big Cheese.

Tia Smith, from The Big Cheese, said their business began 12 years ago in Orlando, Florida, but they spent two months over the summer touring through Wisconsin, mostly at music festivals, for the first time.

“Papa’s got us onboard with them to show us the ropes,” Smith said. She said they contacted Todd Yeomans, and he signed them up for Prairie Dog.

There may not have been any alligator, but lobster macaroni and cheese and pulled pork hit the spot.

Saturday, July 27

Main Stage

6:30 p.m.

The Blues Fest was reminiscent of a giant hangout. People filtered in and out, listening to bands, perusing the vendors, eating food, drinking and sitting around their camps. They talked about the perils of getting a henna tattoo too close to your armpit (it takes an hour to dry, you know), non-functional buttons on women’s clothing and Dolly Parton.

“We’ve got some campers that have been coming for over 20 years. It’s a very laid-back festival,” Valerie Heal of Vivaciously Plus said. Heal, who also helps with camper registrations for the festival, ran her clothing and apparel boutique off to the side of the main stage during the entirety of Blues Fest.

Next to Vivaciously, Morgan Schindler’s Funstyle Boutique sold everything from stickers to clothes and novelties. Her daughter’s Soulful Beauty occupied the same space and offered henna tattoos, original artwork and bleach artwork clothing. Schindler’s father also got in on the business, providing original postcards and coloring books for sale.

“It’s a family affair,” Schindler said. “My mother and I started this business 12 years ago. We import handmade, fair-trade goods from Guatemala, Nepal and India.”

Vivaciously and Funstyle were both attending the festival for the fourth year as vendors.

“We love it,” Schindler said. “Beautiful venue, music and great people.”

Throughout the day, families came down to the island. Their kids played and danced on the grass around the stage and ran back and forth between bathrooms, food stands and their families. Many of them were probably getting their first exposure to bands like Stefan Geisinger, Matt Woods, Big Ray & Chicago’s Most Wanted and Parker Barrow. In the beer tent, the Terry Quiett Band played sets between the main stage acts.

Saturday, July 27

9:30 p.m.

St. Feriole Island

As the sun disappeared behind the bluffs, lights illuminated the island. The music kept playing, the libations kept flowing and the party kept going.

St. Feriole Island has an inimitable character that is missing when it’s under several feet of water. The Blues Fest, along with city workers and volunteers, reinvigorated it in a matter of days. Mike Ulrich was correct: the island bounced back. Through all its tribulations, the Blues Fest went on as planned, and it helped bring soul back to one of Prairie du Chien’s most precious assets.