Words by Jack Foley
If there’s any festival to gatekeep, it’s Nelsonville Music Festival.
Each year, Nelsonville Music Festival returns to the rolling hills of southeast Ohio for a weekend of incredible music, art, and community. It’s truly one of the most incredible atmospheres in the music industry, and we are thrilled to be covering NMF 2026. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the festival, with arguably one of its best lineups yet. As the much-anticipated weekend approaches, we hope to provide you with a guide to all things NMF and the artists you won’t want to miss.
THURSDAY
Thursday will open with morning showers, giving way to a perfect afternoon at Snow Fork. You certainly will not want to miss Porch Stage headliners, Geese and Wednesday. If you want to get those first-day jitters out, Geese is the perfect band to completely lose it to. Scream, shout, whatever that guy from Tears for Fears said–this is the time and place. Wednesday will close the stage out with their incredible countrygaze power riffs and poignant storytelling caked in fuzz and lap steel guitar. While you’re at it, be sure to check out local performers such as Columbus’ own Big Fat Head for a late-night art punk riot at the Mudville Stage.
FRIDAY
Friday keeps things moving along, featuring artists from a plethora of backgrounds and genres. We recommend kicking things off with Athens natives, Space Kid, and rotating between the staggered sets at Howard’s Stage, Porch Stage, and Creekside Stage, ending the evening with Bertha: Grateful Drag to cap off a day of genre-bending fanfare.
SATURDAY
Must-see artists include Fruit Bats, Mikaela Davis, Cat Clyde, Marcus King Band, and Wine Lips. We cannot think of a better lineup to cap things off for the twentieth anniversary of Ohio’s greatest festival.
VENDORS AND FOOD
NMF strives to bring in a diverse array of local artists, restaurants, and small businesses. If you are looking for no-name fair food with no soul, this is not the function for you. There is no shortage of options for vegetarians, vegans, and carnivores alike–NMF features a lineup of any cuisine you could think of. Personally, I look forward to checking out Heady Beans, Portia’s Cafe, Freewheelin Pizzeria, and just about everything my wallet can handle. Far too many festivals prioritize low-quality slop, and thankfully, NMF is not one of them. There will be several artisan vendors as well, and as always, be sure to support local artists. After all, we would be nothing without our Ohio art community.
Regardless of what you listen to, what your vibe is, or your palate, NMF offers some of the finest experiences nestled in the Appalachian foothills. We cannot wait to provide Polyvox readers with day-by-day coverage and highlights from NMF 2026.
Polyvox Magazine 
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