Mile of Music

Mile of Music, also known as the Mile or simply MoM, is an annual music festival that focuses on Americana music. Founded in 2013, it is held in the city of Appletone, Wisconsin every summer.

The Mile of Music festival was founded by Dave Willems, an Appleton marketing executive, and Cory Chisel, a Nashville-based folk musician who had spent several years of his youth in Appleton. Their initiative was supported by about 100 local community organizations and sponsors as well as over 200 volunteers. Although focused mainly on Americana (contemporary music based on American roots music styles), it also encompasses other styles and genres, including blues, folk, indie, indie folk, country, soul, and more.

Mile of Music features both emerging musicians from Wisconsin who have yet to find their audience and get their big break, and established performers from all over the United States and even abroad. Musicians travel from all over the world to perform in front of the festival crowd. The Mile is a cover-free zone meaning that musicians are allowed to perform only their own songs.

Over the years, Mile of Music has welcomed many renowned artists and bands, including Cory Chisel, Norah Jones, Rodney Crowell, Justin Townes Earle, The Candles, Nicole Atkins, The Autumn Defense, The Baseball Project, Sturgill Simpson, Butch Vig, Richie Ramone, Swear and Shake, Ruby Amanfu, Langhorne Slim, The Milk Carton Kids, Tim Barry, Roadkill Ghost Choir, and many more.

When creating Mile of Music, Willems and Chisel were inspired by other popular music festivals such as South by Southwest in Austin, Texas. However, over the years it has transformed into a unique event with its own distinct flavor. The scale of the festival has expanded, too. For example, the first Mile of Music featured over 200 performances and the third hosted over 700 performances by 200 artists. MoM has several stages, besides, numerous performances take place in dozens of smaller venues across Appleton.

Alongside concerts, Mile of Music hosts a series of workshops and other educational events and activities for up-and-coming musicians. The organizers pay much attention to music education and contributing to the local community. For instance, profits from the festival are used to support two funds, one of which supports music opportunities within the Appleton public schools.