Hagfest returns to Spokane

“Hagfest Northwest” is coming to the Fox Theater in Spokane on April 8.

“It’s the first time this event has been held at the Fox and it will be the biggest and best Hagfest yet!” said Rusty Jackson, local musician and event organizer.

The Northwest Country Music Association (NW-CMA) brought the first Hagfest to the Bing Crosby Theater in Spokane in 2019. Due to COVID restrictions, it has been held at smaller venues since then. Jackson is very excited to be able to have this annual gathering of Merle Haggard fans at the big, beautiful Fox Theater this year, he said. And he’s grateful to be partnering with the country radio station K102 and others to get the word out.

Eight different bands with over 40 singers and musicians from all over the Northwest will come together at this event to pay tribute to Merle Haggard, considered by many to be the greatest country singer-songwriter of all time. Known as the “common man’s poet,” Haggard has fans of his music outside the country music genre.

One of Haggard’s hit songs “Big City,” talked about leaving city life behind and moving to “the middle of Montana” and Haggard is perhaps best known for his song “Okie from Muskogee,” which also championed a simple, more traditional life in small-town America.

Tickets range from $10 to $35 and pre-sale began Feb. 11. For ticket information, go to www.HagFestNorthwest.com.

Rusty Jackson is an Americana singer-songwriter and musical artist based in the Pacific Northwest and he performs more than 150 shows a year. Go to his website at www.rustyjackson.com to learn more.

The NW-CMA supports and promotes live country music in Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Washington and Wyoming. Go to www.northwestcma.com to learn more.

K102 Country Radio is North Idaho’s country station — 102.3 and 102.5. Go to www.k102country.com to learn more.

The Fox Theater is a historic movie theater built in 1931, and the premiere showcase spot in Spokane. Got to www.FoxtheaterSpokane.org for more information.