Hagfest returns April 5 to Lake City Center
Earl Wear, left, and Steve Starkey perform during the 2022 Hagfest, a concert that pays tribute to country's beloved Merle Haggard. This year's Hagfest will be April 5 at Lake City Center in Coeur d'Alene and April 6 at the Bing Crosby Theater in Spokane.
Courtesy photo
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March 8, 2024 1:00 AM
Hagfest Northwest, a new local tradition, will return April 5 to Lake City Center in Coeur d'Alene.
It's a concert dedicated to the memory of Merle Haggard. "The Hag," as he was often referred to by fans, was a country music superstar with a career that spanned five decades.
He was especially beloved in the Western U.S. as he hailed from the West himself.
The first Hagfest concert took place April 6, 2019, at the Bing Crosby Theater in Spokane, commemorating Haggard's birthday, which also happens to be the day he died. COVID-19 lockdowns prevented a show in April of 2020. In 2021, larger venues were still under lockdown orders, but Hagfest came to Coeur d'Alene and was held at Lake City Center.
Two shows that year made up for the venue being a smaller one.
In 2022, the event was held at the Coeur d'Alene Casino in Worley and in 2023 at the Fox Theater in Spokane.
Now, in 2024, the show is returning to Lake City Center as well as the Bing Crosby Theater. The Spokane concert will be April 6.
"We made our plans to return to the Bing this year, but we wanted to return to Coeur d'Alene, too," said Rusty Jackson, performer and producer of the annual event.
Jackson is the director of the Northwest Country Music Association. Since 2019, the NW-CMA has partnered with North Idaho radio station K-102 Country to bring this Haggard tribute to the region.
Admission is $25 for the Lake City Center show. Call 208-667-4628 for tickets.
Tickets range from $24 to $43 for the show at the Bing. Contact the box office or visit hagfestnorthwest.com for details.