Bunnie Joy, 37 year veteran of the Wheatland Festival can now only attend the festival in the hearts of those who love her. She passed January 19, 2021. She will be dancing to music in heaven.  Read more »

Mona Bunting, longtime Performer Hospitality volunteer, passed away on December 29, 2020.  For decades Mona worked alongside her husband Marvin (AKA Bud), son Marv Jr and son Mike (all of whom preceded her) to meet the needs of performers. Mona served coffee from her trailer and later from a big tent known as “Mona’s Cafe.”  […] Read more »

Local musician Verna Cornell died on December 18, 2020. She enjoyed attending the Wheatland’s monthly Jamborees held in the Cabin and donated one of her accordians to Wheatland’s instrument loan program. Verna’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren have all been involved with Wheatland. Verna was featured in Wheatland’s 2000 “Sharing the Legacy” project that spotlighted elder […] Read more »

Lynn Haworth-Crotzer shared a remembrance of her boyfriend, Joseph Benjamin, who died on December 3, 2020. Although Joseph only attended the Wheatland Festival once, in 2019, he volunteered his very first year, and he planned to be part of many more festivals. Lynn wrote that Joseph was “the love of my life”, and that he […] Read more »

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 »