Nightly headliners feature Josh Meloy, Southall

HELIX — The tiny town of Helix continues to do big things, including presenting the 17th annual Wheatstock Music Festival Aug. 15-16 at Quantum 9 Arena.

Josh Meloy (Saturday) and Southall (Friday) are the nightly headliners. Other musical acts are Them Dirty Roses, Darci Carlson, Kolton Moore & the Clever Few, The Lowdown Drifters, Kenny Feidler and Tylor & the Train Robbers.

DeWayne Dunlap, Wheatstock board president, raves about the spirit of volunteerism in the community. He said individuals and businesses have embraced the two-day Americana, folk and country music event.

“The community of Helix is a special place,” Dunlap said. “The people in Helix do a lot of stuff, you don’t even have to ask them.”

Tickets went on sale March 3. Two-day passes are $150 and two-day VIP passes are $300 (includes a private bar, an elevated viewing stage and air-conditioned restrooms). Kids 12 and under and active military with identification are admitted free.

Dunlap suggests that concert-goers purchase passes as soon as possible. This year’s sales, he said, are ahead of the 2024 event, which sold out about six weeks before the festival.

“We consider a sellout at 1,100 tickets,” Dunlap said. “We could pack it out at 2,000, but we want to keep it a family thing where it’s comfortable.”

Dunlap said the board continues to lure high-caliber headliners, who are often on the cusp of making it big, which would price them out of Wheatstock’s budget.

He said Meloy is on a “meteoric rise in Texas and the red dirt music scene.” In addition, Dunlap said Southall is selling out 10,000- to 12,000-seat venues.

“A lot of people think these are the best headliners we’ve ever had,” he said. “So for us to get these kinds of bands is special.”

In addition, Dunlap is always excited to bring Tylor & the Train Robbers back “home.” The Boise-based band features Tylor Ketchum and his brothers, Jason and Tommy Bushman, who grew up performing on the Wheatstock stage.

“Three guys from Helix, and they are killing it,” Dunlap said. “They are living their dream.”

Wheatstock is a nonprofit music festival. It supports Cross the Divide, a program that provides outdoor activities and adventures for veterans and their families. In addition, Wheatstock funds a scholarship program for graduating seniors from Helix and Weston-McEwen High School.

The festival features food truck vendors, a beer garden, merchandise sales and activities for children. For tickets and more information, visit www.wheatstock.org. For questions, email wheatstockmusicfest@gmail.com.