Federales Fest returns for year two

Federales Fest, a one-day event aimed at celebrating Southern music through a variety of local, regional and national acts, is set to return to Baton Rouge for its sophomore showing on Saturday, Oct. 5.

The festival will once again be held at Live Oak @ Cedar Lodge, a horse farm located along Jefferson Highway. The main stage will be erected underneath a covered horse arena.

“The venue lends itself to a great time with its beautiful scenery, and the music is a great mix of everything: country, rock ‘n’ roll and a little bit of funk out of New Orleans,” says festival organizer J. Hover.

This year’s event promises to be bigger and better than last year’s effort, according to Hover. Most notably, a second stage—the “Gooseneck Stage”—will be introduced outside of the aforementioned arena. There, local and touring acts will perform between sets on the main stage.

Presenting sponsor Williamson Eye Center will also host a tamale and tequila tasting experience that will “probably lend itself to some acoustic jams.”

Whitey Morgan and the 78’s, an outlaw country group based in Flint, Michigan, will headline this year’s festival. Other artists on the lineup include The Southside Roosters, Dragon Smoke, Daniel Domato’s Cosmic Country and Taylor Hunnicutt.

Food vendors, including BLDG 5, Chow Yum, Iverstine Butcher and Town Square Pizza, will be onsite. General admission tickets are $75. VIP access is $200 and includes complimentary drinks and food.

“I’m just trying to do cool stuff around town, and I find that there’s a need for this kind of elevated music experience in Baton Rouge,” Hover says.

Proceeds from the event will benefit Be Positive, Hover’s nonprofit aimed at “supporting and developing the next generation of Louisiana artists, chefs and musicians.”

This article was originally published in the September 2024 issue of 225 Magazine.