Somerset festival makes a splash of its own

Marlin Levison, Star Tribune

Singer Cody Collins and keyboardist Dean Sams of Lonestar got the crowd going during the first day of the inaugural Apple River Country Splash festival at Float-Rite Park in Somerset, Wis. Talent booker Bobby Lee said it’s hard for a new festival to attract the biggest names. “This year is a proving ground,” he said.

A family-oriented newcomer to the list of country-and-camping music festivals found an appreciative audience at Float-Rite.

By JON BREAM, Star Tribune

Last update: June 19, 2008 - 11:50 PM

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SOMERSET, WIS. -- Mom wore a straw cowgirl hat. Daughter No. 1 was sporting big sunglasses and a Hannah Montana T-shirt. Daughter No. 2 was showing off her brand-new Gretchen Wilson T-shirt.

"They did Country Splash for my birthday," proclaimed Cheyenne Vanasse, who turned 9 on Thursday and got her T-shirt as a present on the first day of the inaugural three-day Apple River Country Splash.

"This is more family-oriented than anything they've had here," said Suzette Vanasse, 38, of Somerset.

Before she had children, Vanasse came to Float-Rite Amphitheater to see Ozzfest, X-Fest and the other rock acts on the banks of the Apple River from 1993 to 2004.

There was no Ozzy Osbourne or body surfing on Thursday. Just maybe 10,000 people -- from families to middle-aged couples to 20-something guys -- to see Clint Black, Lonestar, John Michael Montgomery and Wilson.

"You don't have to worry about kids being idiots and drinking," Vanasse said, sitting on a blanket with her two daughters.

Perhaps the biggest concern for the owners of this new $3 million festival is competition from other summer country-and-camping festivals in Wisconsin and Minnesota. There are a half-dozen other comparable similar long-established festivals, from Eau Claire to Detroit Lakes.

Co-owner Terry Montpetit thinks his festival has its own appeal and will find an audience.

"We're the closest to the Twin Cities," he said backstage Thursday. "We have more things to do, like tubing [in the Apple River] and 800-plus campsites. People don't have to stay in a cornfield."

In the past couple of years, Montpetit and company have poured more than $1 million into improving the Float-Rite site, including putting a 10,000-square-foot concrete pad in front of the stage, paving the backstage where the stars park their buses and re-landscaping the grass bowl to improve sightlines.

First-day fest-goers were giving Country Splash a thumbs-up.

"This is fun, relaxing, a good atmosphere," said Paige Spaulding, 18, of New Richmond, Wis.

We Fest veteran Mark Thuente, 25, of St. Paul, said he already prefers the new fest to the granddaddy in Detroit Lakes.

"We were camped on a hill last year at We Fest," he said. "Here, we're right on the river. We went tubing today. We're going to stay all weekend. This is closer and easier to get to than We Fest. I'll be here next year." His lone complaint was the lack of blockbuster names.

Country Splash talent booker Bobby Lee said it's hard to land big names for a first-year event. "This year is a proving ground," he said. "We won't have that problem next year."

In fact, Country Splash plans to announce some of next year's lineup today.

"People who love country will go anywhere," said Diane Belter, 42, who lives a half-block from Country Splash and has worked security at We Fest. "There are not enough festivals."

Jon Bream • 612-673-1719