For too long, Columbus has been a place that music festivals tend to overlook. That perception has been slowly changing over the last few years, with Sonic Temple (formerly Rock on the Range), Camp Anarchy (30 miles east of the city) and INKcarceration (in Mansfield, OH) planting roots in Central Ohio.

Later this month, a new festival will be joining the list of events that call Columbus and the surrounding area home. The Wonderbus Music & Arts Festival is set for its inaugural edition on August 17-18 on The Lawn at CAS (Chemical Abstracts Services).

Produced by event production company The Elevation Group, the two-day event continues the mission-based focus of the company’s LaurelLive festival (launched in 2016). All proceeds of the event are going to mental health research funding at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health.

Ohio Governor Mike Dewine said in April (when the festival was officially announced), “This combines two things that are really passions of mine: one is promoting Ohio,” he said. “But it also combines with a purpose. As I travel around this state and I look at the challenges that we face, nothing is more heartbreaking than to see the (young) lives that are being lost to suicide.”

The festival has many well-known national acts, including Walk The Moon, Ben Harper and Trombone Shorty among others. But there are also local acts sprinkled throughout the lineup, as well. These include Effee, The Floorwalkers, Clubhouse and MNQN. With three stages, there is continuous music over both days.

The lineup for Saturday, August 17 is comprised of Walk The Moon, The Revivalists, Bishop Briggs, Andrew McMahon In the Wilderness, Chelsea Cutler, Parachute, morgxn, Magic Giant, Future Generations, Effee, Clubhouse, The Floorwalkers and VOILÁ.

Sunday, August 18 boasts Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, X Ambassadors, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Jenny Lewis, Mt. Joy, Red Wanting Blue, Flora Cash, Ashe, Ripe, Castlecomer, MNQN, Weathers and Rebounder.

From the company’s website:

Elevation, a recognized leader in producing live entertainment events including LaureLive, is partnering with Columbus native, Cliff Chenfeld – co-founder and former owner of leading indie record label Razor & Tie Music and Kidz Bop. Columbus business leader, Rick Milenthal and his marketing agency – The Shipyard – are also partners in the new festival as is Michelle Wesley, a Cleveland-based businesswoman, philanthropist and founder of Music Elevates – a non-profit entity with a mission to educate, inspire and motivate future generations while embracing, participating in and promoting one of the world’s great assets – MUSIC.

The City of Columbus and the State of Ohio should expect the same high level, mission-based, festival experience as LaureLive. “We cannot think of a better way for Ohio residents to bookend their summer. LaureLive in early June and WonderBus in late August,” stated Elevation chief operating officer and WonderBus executive producer Steve Lindecke. “When Cliff and Rick came to us with the idea of staging a LaureLive-style festival in Columbus to close the summer, it was an easy decision for us.“

More information, including tickets, can be found at WonderbusFest.com.

Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue – Hurricane Season