Since first starting Hot August Music Festival in his backyard twenty-seven years ago with two bands as a way to help raise money for the Baltimore Blues Society, Selko has grown it into an annual, award-winning festival that is one of the premiere independent music
festivals in the country. Over that time Selko has developed a family feeling that permeates the crowd, the staff, and the bands each year, and , and provides a unique, relaxed, atmosphere to the festival. Selko says it is all of the people who are part of
that family and the joy they find at Hot August Music Festival that has kept him coming back each year. “At the end of the day watching people leave with a smile on their face. And knowing they hopefully had a happy day of live music has kept me going each
year.”
This year’s Hot August Music Festival takes place August 17, and again returns to Oregon Ridge Park in Cockeysville, Maryland, it’s home since 2003. This year’s lineup is topped by Baltimore’s own Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and as always features a diverse line-up scattered across three stages that runs the musical spectrum and features Turkauz, Billy Strings, Melvin Seals & JGB w/ John Kadelick, the Dirty Grass Players, Lil Smokies, Travers Brothership, Samantha Fish, Cedric Burnside, Larry McCray, Vanessa Collier, and the Old Part of Town.
Selko
says he has had an amazing time running Hot August Music Festival for the last twenty-seven years. “I’ve had a great run and met some of the most amazing people in the world over that time. It was and always has been fun,” but adds, “I think now the time
is right to move on in my life.” As he has every year since he first started, Selko says, “I’m just focusing on the festival and then when it’s over, we’ll see where it goes from there.”
Selko
is not completely closing the door on the Hot August Music Festival, saying, “We’ve been discussing and will continue to look into possibilities after the festival of someone coming in to take it over and continue what we have started.”
Tickets are still available. https://hotaugustmusicfestival.com/tickets/
Questions/ Inquiries? Go to info@hotaugustmusicfestival.com
*Thanks to Tim Newby for helping with this press release*
