The Hodag Country Festival, founded in 1978, is an outdoor music festival held each summer in Rhinelander, in

Oneida County, Wisconsin Oneida County is a county in the state of Wisconsin, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 37,845. Its county seat is Rhinelander. History Oneida County was formed in 1887 from sections of Lincoln County. It was named after ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...

. When the first festival was held August 4–6, 1978, it featured

Freddy Fender Freddy Fender (born Baldemar Garza Huerta; June 4, 1937 – October 14, 2006) was an American Tejano, country and rock and roll musician, known for his work as a solo artist and in the groups Los Super Seven and the Texas Tornados. He was be ...

and Jana Jae and had an attendance of about 500. It is named for the folkloric

Hodag In American folklore, the hodag is a fearsome critter resembling a large bull-horned carnivore with a row of thick curved spines down its back. The hodag was said to be born from the ashes of cremated oxen, as the incarnation of the accumulation ...

, first reported to exist in 1893 in Rhinelander. The "Hodag" was founded by Bernie and Diane Eckert, Ernie Feight, and Ted Tschannen. Tschannen left after about two years, while Feight was part of the festival until 1994, when he sold his shares to the four Eckert children and the festival became an Eckert family business. After Bernie and Diane Eckert's deaths in 2002 and 2008, their children have operated the festival. Hodag is usually held the second weekend in July. The festival has an estimated attendance of 30,000-50,000 each year. The Hodag Country Festival Campgrounds will often have space available for 9 day ticket holders. 9 day tickets, 2 day tickets and 1 day tickets can be purchased by phone, online, and at established ticket outlets in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In conjunction with the Hodag Country Festival, country music radio stations around the state of Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan sponsor regional country band contests. The first-place winners of each region will then advance to the Hodag Country Festival to compete for the title of Wisconsin State Country Band Champion. Popular country music stars have performed at the festival including

Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks (born February 7, 1962) is an American country music singer and songwriter. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him popularity, particularly in the United States with success on the c ...

Tim McGraw Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has released 16 studio albums (11 for Curb Records, four for Big Machine Records and one for Arista Nashville). 10 of those albums ...

Reba McEntire Reba Nell McEntire (born March 28, 1955), or simply Reba, is an American country music singer and actress. Dubbed " the Queen of Country", she has sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Since the 1970s, McEntire has placed over 100 singl ...

Neal McCoy Hubert Neal McGaughey Jr. (born July 30, 1958), known professionally as Neal McCoy, is an American country music singer. He has released 10 studio albums on various labels, and has released 34 singles to country radio. Although he first charted on ...

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Jake Owen Joshua Ryan Owen (born August 28, 1981), known professionally as Jake Owen, is an American country music singer, songwriter, and actor. Signed to RCA Nashville in 2006, he released his debut studio album, '' Startin' with Me'', that year. Thi ...

Kellie Pickler Kellie Dawn Pickler (born June 28, 1986) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and television personality. Pickler gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of ''American Idol'' and finished in sixth place. In 2006, she signe ...

Lee Brice Kenneth Mobley Brice Jr. (born June 10, 1979), known professionally as Lee Brice, is an American country music singer and songwriter, signed to Curb Records. Brice has released five albums with the label: '' Love Like Crazy'', '' Hard to Love'', ...

, and

Toby Keith Toby Keith Covel (born July 8, 1961), known professionally as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer. He released his first four studio albums—1993's '' Toby Keith'', 1994's ''Boomtown'', 1996 ...

. There was no festival in 2020 as officials cited the COVID-19 pandemic as grounds for cancellation.

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* Folk festivals in the United States Rock festivals in the United States Music festivals established in 1978 Tourist attractions in Oneida County, Wisconsin Festivals in Wisconsin Country music festivals in the United States Music festivals in Wisconsin 1978 establishments in Wisconsin {{Wisconsin-stub

See also

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