Battle Creek’s biggest music festival is an entire summer vibe. Bring a picnic blanket to sit on the lawn in front of Leila Arboretum’s outdoor stages. Let the kids kick around a soccer ball on the grass. Take some photos for Instagram. 

Here is what you need to know to have a great time at the festival on Saturday, July 29. 

There are three stages 

The music starts at 11 a.m. and goes on nonstop until midnight. They’ve got 36 acts scheduled, with something for everyone: folk, rock, hip hop, country, funk, bluegrass, punk, metal, pop and singer-songwriters. 

This feels like a throwback Leilapalooza. A lot of the bands will be familiar to the local music scene, some of them participating in the music festival from the beginning.  

Barefoot Blonde will play the hits. SXX and 10 Gauge Rage will rock out. Singer-songwriter and guitarist/pianist/saxophonist Allie Garland will jam with her band Awesome Sauce. 

The scenery is unique 

Leila Arboretum is a tree library, a sculpture park and a flower garden all rolled into one. 

The arboretum’s permanent music stage is located in a field of centaurs, UFOs and fairies. 

The Fantasy Forest sculptures were made from the trunks of dead trees. Artists carved up the wood using chainsaws, creating a fantastic setting for the festival. 

But be sure to walk around, to find more stages and to appreciate the natural world. 

Admission is $10 per car 

Stuff your van with family and friends – there is no cover charge. You pay $10 per vehicle for parking. 

Just be sure to check the list of things you can bring into the park. Items such as pop bottles, knives and coolers aren’t allowed. 

Pizza and beer are a must 

What’s a music festival without refreshments? We recommend the classic pairing of pizza and beer. Food vendors will be making fresh pies and other snacks while the beer tent has all of your favorite drinks. 

Bring your discs 

Leila Arboretum has a great disc golf course, so bring your equipment. The course takes advantage of the arboretum’s rolling hills and shaded groves. You’ll start out by the sumac trees and end on Fragrant Hill.