The Harmonica Festival has been happening in the tiny community of Yellow Pine for 35 years. This festival has a unique vibe, bringing a special kind of magic to the Idaho Backroads.
I camped out for two nights in an attempt to sum up the festival. I arrived on Wednesday, and the festival officially kicked off on Thursday. I didn't get to experience Friday or Saturday nights, but I found plenty of reasons why people love this event so much.
Check out the video to see the sights and sounds from the 35th Harmonica Festival in Yellow Pine
"The best part about this festival is no one comes to this festival by accident. They come to listen to music; these are music fans," said Matt Downs of Muddy Boots and the Porch Pounders. The band has been coming to the festival for eight years, and all 28 bands that travel here do not get paid.
"Whether it's music they have never heard or it's music they love, it has been a blast."
The music happens all the time. There was a band playing while we enjoyed breakfast, impromptu jam sessions popped up out of thin air, and the Harmonica Festival features two stages with scheduled bands every day. Thursday night was one of the highest attended in festival history.
"It is absolutely surprising," said Adam Pellegrini, the Yellow Pine Chairman. "By some counts, over 3,000 to 4,000 folks will travel in and out over a 72-hour period to a town that at most is 100 folks."
After talking with people who camped out for the festival, it was apparent that many people also came because they love the outdoors, such as the beauty and the ruggedness of Yellow Pine. This festival draws people with campers, ATVs, UTVs, and motorcycles.
"We just rolled in on two GSA BMW adventure bikes. We knew it was happening, but we didn’t know it was going to be like this," said Will Barely. "We thought it was going to be straight harmonica the whole time, but let me tell you— these bands are legit."
Will Barley and Mike Sullivan are from San Diego. Mike has been to Yellow Pine before, so he brought his friend back to experience riding in Idaho, and they decided to come during the Harmonica Festival as an added bonus.
"Man, you get up here and it is life changing, not only seeing the country, but also the people," said Sullivan. "We have said it so many times, it's just real and it's everywhere in Idaho."
That was my takeaway too, as I quickly became friends with everyone who was camping around me on the golf course. This free festival featured laid-back characters that were easy to talk to.
I chatted with a Marine Corps veteran and we shared our service stories over a beer for an hour. I met a man from Chicago who is writing a book on the 45th Parallel. He volunteered to flip pancakes on Saturday, and he took a harmonica workshop on Friday. And then you have the locals that welcome you to their corner of the world, even if it takes forever to get here.
"I looked at my GPS the first time I came here, and I got lost," said musician Dan Doshier. "[The GPS] said 31 miles will take two and a half hours. I’m like what? I didn’t believe it, but it was true."
I was able to drive from Boise to Yellow Pine and back on one tank of gas in my Subaru. There is no gas in Yellow Pine, so a local brought some up and was selling it for nine bucks a gallon.
I also found it interesting that a local named Scott donated a mining claim for the silent auction, as this festival funds Yellow Pine for the rest of the year.
In another surprise, the food, drinks, and treats from the vendors were incredible, and they included several businesses that came up from the Treasure Valley.
Overall, it's a unique festival in a special place that must be experienced to understand what makes it so distinctly Idaho.
