Hot August Music Festival Shines Bright Despite Early Challenges
Words by Dan Rozman
Photos by Mark Raker

The Hot August Music Festival in 2024 was a festive celebration of music, community, and the free-spirited essence of summer.

This year’s festival featured an impressive lineup across two stages, offering non-stop music throughout the day. Headliners included the powerful vocals of Grace Potter, while the roster also boasted rising star Neal Francis, jam band favorite Eggy, and the eclectic Sam Grisman Project. Local talent shone with standout performances by Baltimore’s own Cris Jacobs, the energetic Pressing Strings, and guitar virtuoso Paul Reed Smith with his band Eightlock.

Despite some early hurdles, the festival delivered an unforgettable weekend for all in attendance. With the event approaching, the production staff anxiously tracked Hurricane Debby, concerned it would result in a complete washout. Compounding the stress, the festival was dealt a blow when the popular co-headliner Snarky Puppy had to cancel all remaining shows due to the sudden passing of their longtime keyboardist, Shaun Martin, who had been battling an undisclosed illness.

Ryan Glaeser, co-owner of the festival, highlighted the chaos of the week leading up to the event at Baltimore’s Oregon Ridge Park on August 10. “I thought the day ended up perfectly. But the week leading up to that was anything but” he said. “It’s difficult to put on a festival under normal circumstances. And then you throw in having an artist cancel with an emergency and a pending hurricane complicates things a lot.”

Ryan mentioned logistical issues with flights and coordination with Baltimore County. “We were keeping in touch with Baltimore County, who runs Oregon Ridge Park, trying to figure out if they were going to allow us to do this festival.” Despite these obstacles, the team’s determination prevailed. “We felt like the people still wanted to come and were still excited about being there. We wanted to make it happen and we were determined to find a way to hold HAMF for the bands and the fans.”

In a remarkable turn of events, the weather cooperated beautifully, providing the festival with a delightful high of 80 degrees. As Ryan expressed, “It really takes the dedication and the work from a team of people to put something like this on. And you know, my partner, Robbie, and I, just want to say thank you to every single person, every volunteer, everyone that had anything to do with putting this on today. You guys helped make this happen.”

The music lineup was truly spectacular, beginning with the local supergroup The Hot August Collective. This unique ensemble featured Jonathan Sloane on vocals and guitar, Ron Holloway on saxophone, Benjie Porecki on keys, Ben Tufts on drums, Bobby Thompson on vocals and guitar, and Christopher Brown on bass.

Another notable moment was the performance by the PRS-Eightlock band, led by the iconic guitar manufacturer Paul Reed Smith. Smith shared his feelings of honor for being part of the festival’s opening saying, “What an honor to play, we’re opening this thing up. This band was always designed to play festivals and you guys are letting us do it, and I couldn’t be happier to be here, thank you.”

Watch the PRS Eightlock Band cover “Last Train Home” by John Mayer in this YouTube video:

The energy of Pressing Strings and the soulful sounds of the Cris Jacobs Band — featuring Todd Herrington, Dusty Ray Simmons, Patrick McAvinue, Alex Berman, and Jody Mosser — mesmerized the crowd.

Throughout the day, there were special guest appearances, with members of different bands joining each other on stage for collaborative performances that delighted the crowd including Cris Jacobs joining the Sam Grisman Project. After the set Cris said, “It’s wonderful to be a part of a hometown festival that’s still kicking after 30 years and still just as beautiful. It’s a testament to the people who run it to keep it together and everybody who supports it. It’s a beautiful thing to be a part of in my own backyard.”

Beyond the exceptional music, the festival offered a variety of local food vendors and a special craft brew called Lightning Bug, created by Union Craft Brewing just for the Hot August Music Festival. One festival-goer shared that “every year they discover a new band at HAMF that they go and see again after the festival.”

The kids in attendance had a wonderful time as well, with the arts and crafts area providing endless opportunities for creativity and the grassy field serving as the perfect dance floor for budding musicians. The joyful energy of the young attendees was a testament to the festival’s inclusive spirit and commitment to fostering a love of music in the next generation.

As Grace Potter, who missed a family wedding on her farm, closed the show with her bluesy, roots rock set fans were elated. Overall, the 2024 Hot August Music Festival was a triumph of community, artistry, and the sheer power of music to bring people together. Despite the early challenges, the festival delivered an unforgettable weekend that left attendees eagerly anticipating next year’s event.

Watch the official music video for “Good Time” by Grace Potter on YouTube:

Certain aspects of the research and/or drafting for this piece may have employed AI.

Here is the Hot August Music Festival 2024 in photos! All pictures copyright and courtesy of the terrific Mark Raker.