Shoe Fest returns to Camp Shaw in Manteno, Illinois, August 29–31, 2025, for its fourteenth annual weekend of roots-rich revelry, riverbank camping, and round-the-clock pickin’. The intimate, family-friendly gathering—nestled just an hour south of Chicago—has built a reputation for pairing Midwest hospitality with nationally revered talent, and this year’s lineup might be its most sparkling yet.
At the top of the bill, Nashville firebrand Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country will unleash his Tele-caster swirl of honky-tonk, psychedelia, and break-neck bluegrass on the Shoe Fest main stage for the first time. Festival hosts Old Shoe will anchor two nights, weaving their own blend of Americana and improvisation through sunset sing-alongs and late-night jams.
Another crown jewel arrives in the form of a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration: Peter Rowan & the Sam Grisman Project performing the timeless repertoire of Old & In The Way—and more—with the blessing and banjo of the Rowan-Garcia tradition firmly in tow.
They’re joined by LAMP (Lawton, Metzger, Paczkowski), former Band of Horses guitarist-turned-solo storyteller Tyler Ramsey, fiddle sorceress Allie Kral, and down-state troubadour Chicago Farmer—this year’s “artist-at-large,” roaming the grounds with The Fieldnotes in search of sit-ins and song circles.
A deep bench rounds out the weekend: Arkansauce, The Fretliners, Mr. Blotto, DIZGO, Rucksack Revolution, It’s Ice (Phish tribute), Edward David Anderson, The Sullivan Sisters Duo, Chester Brown, Bird Song Quartet, Janky Limo, Carrie Sue & the Wood Burners, Fox Crossing Stringband, Covington Groove, Lyons & Co., Grassfed Collective, Mr. Dave, and the rising stars of the Future of Rock youth program.
Beyond the stages, Shoe Fest offers shaded campsites beneath towering oaks, a brisk creek for midday swims, craft vendors, children’s activities, and late-night pickin’ circles that hum until dawn. Artwork for this year’s poster comes courtesy of Schnitzel Bear Studios, capturing the festival’s playful spirit in technicolor detail.
Tier 3 tickets—currently the best value—remain on sale through Wednesday, July 9, at shoe-fest.com, where fans can also find lodging upgrades, volunteer opportunities, and FAQs. With just over fifty days until the gates swing wide, the Shoe Fest family invites returning revelers and first-timers alike to lace up, pitch a tent, and dance barefoot beneath the Illinois stars.
