There are plenty of music festivals out there, but there’s only one Boogiedown. The 5th annual fest took place September 11–13 at Driftless Music Gardens, and this year might have been the best one yet. The whole weekend had that special mix of music, friendship, and shenanigans that only happens when Armchair Boogie is in the gardens.
The charm of this festival is that you don’t really have to wonder who you’ll run into—you know it’s going to be packed with familiar faces. Boogie has built this gathering into something more like a family reunion than a crowd of faceless people. And when this family gets together, well, things tend to get a little wild. It was so nice to have the weather on point all weekend. Hot during the day, cold at night—the kind of September feel that keeps you guessing but never gets in the way of the fun. By the time the sun dipped behind the hills, the fog rolled in thick and dramatic, turning Driftless into a canvas of lights and music going all throughout the night.
Of course, no Boogiedown would be complete without the famous Knueppeland party tent. It’s more than a tent at this point—it’s a community living room at your disposal for the weekend. Blood, sweat, and tears went into setting that thing up. And this year, the man behind it all, Adam Knueppel, turned 40 on opening day. He’s basically the unofficial fifth member of Armchair Boogie, so the celebration was woven into the entire weekend. Between the birthday toasts and the late-night tent hangs, it felt like the whole place was throwing him a party.
Things kicked off Thursday with Augie Dougherty Band (Boogie’s banjo wizard) delivering a set full of well-written originals and fun covers. Porky’s Groove Machine came out of hiatus just for Boogiedown, bringing their signature funk and costumes back to the Driftless. The Joe Marcinek Band kept the main stage cooking with their jam-heavy headlining set. Then Wonderfunk—which is led by Ben Majeska of Armchair Boogie and Trevor Northsoul, but also stacked with insane musicians—closed out night one in the tent. It was the perfect start to the weekend. A whole day of great music to get it all rolling.
Friday opened with Driftless favorites Dig Deep warming up the crowd. Then Allie Kral brought her soaring fiddle magic to the main stage before The Travelin’ McCourys took things to another level with their bluegrass mastery. Over at the tent, Adam Greuel and the Space Burritos laid down a wild, high-energy set that had the place packed wall to wall. And then it was time for Armchair Boogie’s first headlining set of the weekend.
They came out swinging with a mix of fresh covers and originals—a sign of just how much new material they’ve been cooking up. There was even a quick rain scare that night, but it passed right over and barely fazed the crowd. Nothing was stopping the Boogie train. The whole set was on fire. I love this form that the boys are in right now.
Saturday started lighthearted with Connor Lyle and the Mother Guys. As it turns out, “them other guys” were really just more of the Boogie crew having some fun. Next up, The Billy Bronsted Trio held down the main stage, but the real moment came in the back bowl. We witnessed the planting of Owsley’s Oak. Augie planted the tree in honor of Adam Knueppel’s baby daughter, Owsley, creating a living piece of Boogiedown history right in the heart of Driftless. Then, as quickly as he dug the hole for the tree, Augie jumped on stage with Billy right after to finish the set.
For me, the highlight of the whole weekend was next. Lindsay Lou took the main stage for a proper sunset show. She’s been one of my favorite artists for a while, and seeing her on the Driftless stage felt surreal. Her voice carried over the valley like pure love, and for that hour it felt like the entire festival was happy in harmony.
Then it was back to the Boogie boys, who dropped their final headlining set of the weekend. This one was an absolute ripper. They debuted fresh covers, leaned into some funky improvisation, and brought out the new track “The Business of Boogie,” which instantly clicked with the crowd. By the time they wrapped, the place was bouncing. The Pistol Whippin’ Party Penguins then closed out the festival with a rowdy bluegrass set, sending everyone into the night on a high note.
This year just felt especially personal for me because I had the chance to follow the Boogie boys around all weekend and snap some behind-the-scenes promo shots. I’ve taken plenty of photos at Driftless over the years, but getting to tag along with the boys themselves brought a whole new layer of enjoyment. I caught them tuning up backstage, laughing over jokes between sets, and just being themselves when the spotlight wasn’t on. Watching them go from those candid moments to absolutely shredding in front of hundreds of fans was unreal. It gave me an even deeper appreciation for how much heart they put into this festival. And it’s not just as musicians, but as friends building something special for everybody.
And just like that, Driftless Music Gardens’ season was over. This was the final fest there of the year, and it’s hard not to reflect on how special this place is. I went to every single event at Driftless this summer—each one different, each one memorable. But Boogiedown holds a special place in my heart. It’s the late-night campfire hangs, the foggy hillside, the old friends you somehow always find in the crowd. It’s coming home, and I know I’ll always come back.
Five years in, Boogiedown is only getting stronger. If 2025 was any indication, the best is still ahead. You should heavily consider going next year, because this festival doesn’t just put on music—it creates memories and friendships that stick forever. So gear up and stay tuned! Something tells me the Boogie’s only just getting started.
