Jan Fowler, who called for dances at the Wheatland Festival and other Wheatland events (Traditional Arts Weekend, monthly dances, Wheatscouts) for nearly 40 years, died on October 26, 2020. According to her husband, Ron, some of Jan’s favorite things about Wheatland were leading Family Dances on the Dance Stage, experiencing the festival with her daughters, […] Read more »

With great sadness, we say goodbye to Brian “Senior” Schafer, MD. Senior passed away on September 9, 2020. He enthusiastically introduced traditional arts to family and friends in joyful song, playing guitar, mandolin, banjo, and bass by ear. His wife said, “He was the energy and center of our family circle. Through 20 years of […] Read more »

Michael Pineda’s wife Sara Durbin said that Michael passed August 31, 2020. Michael attended Wheatland six years and loved his Wheatland family! And he loved the cajun dance!! He was like a kid at Christmas the night before Wheatland full of anticipation for what memories we would make!! His excitement was over the top for […] Read more »

Zach Fedus asked that we remember his grandfather, Rudolph “Andy” Fedus, who died on August 25, 2020. Andy played piano, guitar, banjo and fiddle, and attended the Wheatland Festival and other Michigan music festivals. At Wheatland, he could be found in his favorite camping spot, near the site decorated with MANY pink flamingos. Zach, who […] Read more »

Guillermo Martinez, who performed at Wheatland three times during the late 1990s with the band Los Bandits de Michigan, died on July 20, 2020. Guillermo was also a poet, a singer/songwriter, and he gave lessons to aspiring guitar and accordion players. Read more »

Longtime Wheatlander Martin “Lucky” Cates passed May 16, 2020. Sara Cates, his daughter said, “My dad Martin aka Lucky loved Wheatland for more than 40 years. His mother (the late Rosemary Miller) had volunteered at Wheatland since the beginning. He loved the drum circles, the dance classes and the Sunday morning worship at Main Stage […] Read more »

Friend “Banjo-Jim” Foerch wrote, “Rickey Novak passed away suddenly on April 29. He started attending the Festival, Wheatland Jamborees and Traditional Arts (TAW) in 1993. He was a walking library of the songs of the 50s – 60s folk rebellion and could be heard leading them with his guitar in jams at the Blue Water […] Read more »