Lightning Bug Music Festival

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Valparaiso, IN
Lightning Bug Music Festival

Our mission is to shed light on how important live music is for the mental health of fans and bands. "Remember Who We Really Are"
(12)

04/19/2024

Lightning Bug Family, our venue Sunset Hill Farm, has exciting news! A permanent stage will be built this year in the same location as our 2022 main stage, a proper improvement to the natural amphitheater. Swipe through for a sneak peek of this exciting project.

Lightning Bug will not return in 2024 amidst these improvements. We are thrilled with dreams of filling the air with music, the farm with you, and our hearts with love when the timing is right.

In the meantime: Remember Who We Really Are.

Big Love,
Lightning Bug HQ

04/10/2023

Producing an independent music festival of this scale is no small feat. It requires countless moving parts to work together in unison. Our team worked tirelessly, from a place of love, to be the vessel that allows magic to emerge. ️

Last year exceeded our wildest dreams and visions. The newly added dynamic of on-site camping, continuous music, and the vibes that you all brought to Sunset Hill started a beautiful new era for Lightning Bug. We know that this is just the beginning of building a community for artists, dreamers, and lovers at our special venue.

We deeply care about how we produce this festival and recognize that without all of the pieces in place, taking a year off is necessary for the integrity of this special weekend we share together. After exploring all options, Lightning Bug ‘23 is not currently viable due to funding. We don’t feel we can offer the best experience possible for the fans and artists alike this year, and while it’s hard to admit, it’s the right choice.

Our future together is as bright as a Lightning Bug on an Indiana summer night. We can’t wait to reconnect together in 2024. Take care of yourself, one another, and in the meantime-

Remember Who We Really Are.

Friends, thank you for your support. Big Love.

10/05/2022

Cordovas , man…🤠⚡️
They bring such a powerful energy to the stage. Bass solos in the crowd is something we didn’t know we were missing.
Big Love to y’all for sharing your magic and keeping the Friday night vibes high.

📸: .visuals

10/01/2022

Mikaela Davis & Southern Star is truly a special band. They played an unbelievable set at Lightning Bug. They oozed groove, vibe, deep feelings: backed by real talent. Their mix of instrumentals, lyrics and stage presence make for a live experience you won’t soon forget. They have an album coming out soon that we are so excited to experience. They are a band that allows you to Remember Who The Heck You Really Are.

📸: .visuals

09/29/2022

A special acoustic trio performance by Duane Betts Johnny Stachela and Berry Duane Oakley on that beautiful Friday afternoon. With a mix of originals and thoughtful covers, this “Dog Daze” outfit was a memorable show for us all. We can’t wait to see how this evolves 🤠⚡️

📸: .visuals

09/23/2022

Turning Lemons into Lightning ⚡️
When Cedric Burnside had to cancel last minute, we had an opportunity to create something special. Something that will never exist in that format, in that place & time ever again: the first ever Lightning Jam.

Featuring:
Jam Jester Rushad Eggleston
Fervent Fiddler The Lil Smokies
The Kind Killer Kid Trevor Shepich Music
Smiles for Miles Grant Livingston Music
Banjo Badass

It’s truly magic what can be created within a few hours with good intentions, talented & open-minded musicians, and a slot on the main stage! Lightning Jam will be the vessel each year for musicians to be able to collaborate and create together for the first time. Thank you to every musician on stage who generously gave their time and energy to make Lightning Jam V1 so dang special. Big Love.

📸: .visuals

09/22/2022

Holly Bowling eased us into Friday with her unbelievable talent. We remember the first time we heard Holly play the “Tahoe Tweezer” in 2014 and have been seeing her in all different iterations since.
Later that day she and her all-star group Ghost Light brought down the house with our favorite show we’ve seen live, relisten to it on nugs.net ! Their new album The Healing (fitting, right?!) is set to be released in Oct. 7th and it is 🔥.
We are so thankful to have shared this years Lightning Bug with such a diverse and talented group of musicians.

⚡️The Squirming Coil 🌀

🎥&📸: Jay Strausser

09/20/2022

Rip-Roaring Nashville based Sicard Hollow played a fantastic set on Saturday at Lightning Bug! These cats have a long and exciting road ahead of them. They added perfect flavor to an magical day packed with bluegrass/newgrass. We can’t wait to see y’all grow ⚡️

09/17/2022

Midwestern Legend Charlie Parr graced us with two sets over the weekend. Each day provided 90 minutes of true musicianship & storytelling that transported us to a special state of mind. Folks of all ages were moved by Charlie’s music, many for the first time. We enjoyed catching up with Charlie throughout the weekend and would be honored to have his kind spirit back to Lightning Bug.
It’s folks like Charlie who help us to Remember Who The Heck We Really Are.

📸: Jay Strausser Visuals

09/15/2022

We couldn’t have dreamt up a better show than the Debutants closing out Lightning Bug properly!
A 7-piece Indiana newgrass band, playing theirs hearts out at our Indiana festival felt so right. From opening their set with “The Hobo Song” directly after Railroad Earth to closing the set with sit in from Rushad Eggleston and Trevor Shepich Music totaling 9 musicians on stage(TWO cellos, fiddles, guitars)
From there, they led the charge with a late-late night set until 6am at the windmill jam. They were a staple of this year and we think they should be a cornerstone of Lightning Bug for years to come. Who else felt the pure energy and joy of this band?!

📸: Jay Strausser Visuals

09/14/2022

Weekend Artist at large, Rushad Eggleston , harnessed a source of energy that created a pervasive sense of wonder that echoed to every corner of the festival🦄.
With a whopping 23 sets over two days, we witnessed a world record in the Land of Sneth. The magic of Lightning Bug was so special this year because of you, buddy. Tharnox Manstros! 🫶

(15) Set Break Goblin Jams
Lindsay Lou sit-in
Windmill Jam
Nature Walk ft. a 75 ft tree climb bird jam>
Amphitheater Tree Jam
Director of Lightning Jam
The Lil Smokies sit-in
Debutants sit-in>
Vintage ‘93 Windmill Jam ft. Debutants

Lightning Bug Music Festival X Rushad Eggleston = Kismet

09/13/2022

Two nights of Railroad Earth is GOOD for the soul. The kindest folks, the realest songs, the purest vibes. Thank you for playing two special nights of your music for Lightning Bug. Ending our Saturday night show with Harvest Moon by Neil Young with a beaming Harvest Moon above us was nothing short of magic. Who else felt a sense of spirit this weekend? 🌕

09/11/2022

⚡️THANK YOU! 🪲

This was our team’s first year producing Lightning Bug and we are beaming with gratitude. The kindness, respect, vibes, and love were felt in every corner of this beautiful venue all weekend. To the artists, the fans, the staff, the NWI community and Mother Nature - THANK YOU!

This is just the beginning of something special & we’re so excited to be on this journey with y’all. 🤘

Be Good. Be Kind. Follow your Truth.
Remember Who The Heck You Really Are.

See you in 2023. 💚

Big Love,
Lightning Bug HQ

09/10/2022

A big thank you to everyone who came out to this morning’s nature walk! 🌱

📸: Jay Strausser Visuals
🎻🐒: Rushad Eggleston

09/10/2022

Some shots from Ghost Light last night at the Main Stage 👻💡

📸: Jay Strausser Visuals

09/10/2022

Check back here throughout the day for updates on the first-ever Lightning Jam ⚡️

09/10/2022

About last night.. ⚡️🪲 Day 2 here we come!!

09/09/2022

🤘🌅🤘

09/09/2022

Things are a movin’ & a shakin’ folks! ⚡️

09/09/2022

Our Artist At Large has arrived at Sunset Hill Farm & we are so excited for what’s to come this weekend! ✨ See y’all soon!! 💚

09/09/2022

✅ KBYG: Amphitheater Info

⚡️ The Main Stage & The Barn Stage will have continuous music from 12pm -12:30am daily.
⚡️ Beer Tents: 11am daily (one located to the left of the Main Stage & one located at the top of the hill)
⚡️ Food Vendors: 11am daily (located to the left of the Main Stage)
⚡️ Craft Good Vendors: (located to the left of the Main Stage)
⚡️ Merch Tent: 11am daily
⚡️ Free water stations are located to the left of the main stage - stay hydrated folks!
⚡️ Lil’ Bugs 🪲 (our kids’ activity area) (located at the top of the hill)
⚡️ Items such as chairs, umbrellas, & blankets to sit on are allowed inside the amphitheater & strongly encouraged!
⚡️We kindly ask if you see trash on the ground please pick it up and throw it away. Let’s keep Sunset Hill Farm as beautiful as possible ✨

We are so excited to share beautiful Sunset Hill Farm with you all! 🌅 See ya tomorrow!! ⚡️🪲💚

🚁-.visuals

09/08/2022

✅Know Before You Go: Camping Rules & Regulations

⚡️ Your home for the weekend will be assigned to you upon arrival - if you want to camp next to your friends, please plan to arrive at the same time!

⚡️One camping pass allots a 20’ x 20’ campsite for one (1) vehicle, with four (4) persons allowed per vehicle. All of your belongings (vehicle, tents, quick shades, chairs, camping items) must fit within your campsite.

⚡️ The Golden Rule: PACK IT IN, PACK IT OUT! No litter bugs allowed 🚫👎

⚡️ Propane grills are welcome at your campsite, however charcoal grills and open flame are prohibited.

⚡️ Yes, you are allowed to bring unopened containers of alcohol, however NO GLASS! Ice will be available for purchase next to Regular Camping near Guest Services

⚡️ We recommend campers to walk to the amphitheater via beautiful Penny Lane

⚡️ Let’s treat the beautiful grounds of Sunset Hill Farm with the utmost respect. If you see a piece of trash on the ground, take a moment to pick it up and throw it away. We’re all in this together 🤝

1 MORE SLEEP Y’ALL! 🤠

📸: .visuals

09/08/2022

We can’t wait to welcome all of your smiling faces TOMORROW!
Here’s a sneak peak of the stunning amphitheater at sunset last night.
We have perfect weather for the weekend. The venue is as pretty as we have ever seen it. We’re thrilled to bring this lineup to such a special place.
Tell your friends & family…Lightning Bug is the place to be!

📸: .visuals

09/07/2022

We are super stoked to present a lil’ sneak peek of your official Lightning Bug merch! ⚡️🪲

We are offering LB shirts, koozies, f***y packs, cups & bucket hats, alongside an absolutely gorgeous poster for the weekend AND a glow-in-the-dark variant by

Come by the merch booth anytime between 11am - 12:30am on Friday & Saturday to snag some swag! Limited amounts available for everything 💚

09/06/2022

✅ KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Entrance to the Grounds

⚡️ Box Office: 10am - 10pm daily

⚡️ Amphitheater: 11am - 12:30am daily

⚡️ Day Parking & Camping: 8am - 10pm daily (all attendees must show pre-purchased camping & festival tickets at check point for access)

⚡️Single Day Parking is free of charge.

⚡️ Cell service onsite may be spotty, so please download or screenshot your festival passes before arriving at Lightning Bug for check-in (including camping pass).

⚡️ All campers must depart from festival grounds by noon on Sunday, 9/11.

Please visit the link in our bio for more festival FAQs!

We can’t wait to see you all on Friday! 💚

09/03/2022

To make for a seamlessly curated flow of experiences, check out all the groovy activities we’ve got planned for y’all in addition to our epic musical lineup! 👇

ALL WEEKEND AT LIL’ BUGS:

✨ BUBBLES 🫧 Joyfulbubbles

✨ Slackline Lessons with Slack-Librium

✨ Face Painting

✨Interactive Art Installations

✨ Instrument Building Workshop with Deep Fried Pickle Project Jug Band

SATURDAY ACTIVITIES:

✨ Morning Yoga & Meditation with Dr. Kristina Kauffman from 9am-10am in grass field next to Silo

✨ Health & Wellness Market hosted by Hicks Chiropractic Health Center on Saturday 10am-2pm & Sunday 8am-12pm in grass field next to Silo

✨ Guided Nature Walk led by Jake Bell & Troy William from 10am-11am at amphitheater entrance gates

✨ Rock Skipping Competition from 11am-12pm at The Pond

All activities are included in your ticket price so we encourage y’all to take advantage of as many as you can!

All of these experiences are going down exactly a week from today 😱 Grab your tickets through the link in bio!

Address

775 Meridian Road
Valparaiso, IN
46385

Website

http://lightningbugmusicfestival.com/

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Videos

Holly Bowling eased us into Friday with her unbelievable talent. We remember the first time we heard Holly play the “Tahoe Tweezer” in 2014 and have been seeing her in all different iterations since. Later that day she and her all-star group Ghost Light brought down the house with our favorite show we’ve seen live, relisten to it on nugs.net ! Their new album The Healing (fitting, right?!) is set to be released in Oct. 7th and it is 🔥. We are so thankful to have shared this years Lightning Bug with such a diverse and talented group of musicians. ⚡️The Squirming Coil 🌀 #rememberwhotheheckyoureallyare 🎥&📸: Jay Strausser

✅ KBYG: Amphitheater Info ⚡️ The Main Stage & The Barn Stage will have continuous music from 12pm -12:30am daily. ⚡️ Beer Tents: 11am daily (one located to the left of the Main Stage & one located at the top of the hill) ⚡️ Food Vendors: 11am daily (located to the left of the Main Stage) ⚡️ Craft Good Vendors: (located to the left of the Main Stage) ⚡️ Merch Tent: 11am daily ⚡️ Free water stations are located to the left of the main stage - stay hydrated folks! ⚡️ Lil’ Bugs 🪲 (our kids’ activity area) (located at the top of the hill) ⚡️ Items such as chairs, umbrellas, & blankets to sit on are allowed inside the amphitheater & strongly encouraged! ⚡️We kindly ask if you see trash on the ground please pick it up and throw it away. Let’s keep Sunset Hill Farm as beautiful as possible ✨ We are so excited to share beautiful Sunset Hill Farm with you all! 🌅 See ya tomorrow!! ⚡️🪲💚 🚁[email protected]

🌹Congratulations to the winners of our July ticket giveaway! 1) Kristen Schenkel 2) Tom Goodwin 3) Nancy Kohout 4) Liz Nadratowski 5) @sugarmagnolia1427 We will be reaching out to each of you shortly so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for that message! It is an honor to share the gift of live music so THANK YOU to everyone who participated in this month’s giveaway. Our August giveaway will be one last opportunity to score a free #LBMF ticket ⚡️ Big love to you all 💚 #LBMF #LBMF2022 #Lightningbugmusicfestival #outdoormusicfestival #livemusic #liveforlivemusic #northwestindiana #summer2022 #giveawayseries

Sunset Hill Farm 🌅 Featuring a natural amphitheater that produces a sonic heaven and rolling prairie fields with blooming trees as far as the eye can see. Sept 9 & 10 will be a nature-inspired getaway drenched in soul-nourishing music & heart-warming community, all within an hour’s drive from Chicago. Oh and did we mention we are adding a main stage next to the red barn this year?! That means continuous music for nearly 12+ hours a day! So don’t forget your dancing shoes folks 😉 See you on the farm! Tickets at link in bio 🎫 #LBMF #LBMF2022 #lightningbugmusicfestival #northwestindiana #livemusic #outdoormusicfestival #summer2022 #liveforlivemusic

Andddd the results are in! The winners of our June giveaway are ✨ @herbs_eye_view ✨ @bluegrass.betty ✨ @emmma_kj ✨ @flowrchld ✨ @jennar0g Congratulations to these 5 lucky folks! We will be reaching out to each of you today via DMs 😊 THANK YOU to everyone who participated - we are incredibly encouraged by the level of response for our first giveaway series! Fear not, we are planning to offer several more ticket giveaways before the festival date so keep your eyes peeled for another chance to snag that golden ticket! 🎫 #LBMF #LBMF2022 #Lightningbugmusicfestival #outdoormusicfestival #livemusic #liveforlivemusic #northwestindiana #summer2022 #giveawayseries