METAL FEST

What began as an effort to give local heavy metal fans a place to hear live music is growing into a full-scale festival with regional bands, vendors and ambitions of becoming one of Sparta’s signature events.

The third annual Sparta Metal Fest will take place Saturday, Aug. 22, outside Blue Collar Bar & Grill, 121 E. Oak St. The festival will feature 11 bands, food, beverages, merchandise and approximately seven local vendors.

A pre-festival Rock Stop hosted by 95.7 The Rock will run from noon to 1:30 p.m. Gates open at 2 p.m., with music beginning at 3 p.m. Admission is $20.

Blue Collar owner Beau Burlingame said the festival has changed considerably since its first year, when it was known as Beer Shop Metal Fest. It became Blue Collar Metal Fest during its second year before organizers established Sparta Metal Fest as a separate group.

“This isn’t necessarily a Blue Collar thing,” Burlingame said. “It is a group effort.”

Organizers hope to eventually establish Sparta Metal Fest as its own formal organization, allowing Blue Collar to remain a host and major supporter while additional volunteers handle booking and planning.

The long-term goal is to move the main festival to the Evans-Bosshard Park area, potentially as soon as next year. Under that plan, Blue Collar could host pre- and post-festival events while visitors walk between the downtown venue and the park.

“We want to set it up there and have it big,” Burlingame said. “This could be the free party, have a band here, and then have this be the post-party. People could walk back and forth.”

This year’s festival represents a significant step toward that larger vision. Five bands performed during the 2025 event, while this year’s lineup has more than doubled to 11. The list includes Wilbur, Starved, Red Vinter, Inaara, Phase Meridian, The Grey Area, Frontal assault, Plant, Thundergoat, and then Throw Me the Remote, and Draconian Hate will play at the over-21 after-party inside.

Burlingame said organizers Ethan Belmont of band Thundergoat and Blue Collar employee Alex Graves led the effort to book the bands. The lineup includes musicians from Wisconsin and elsewhere in the Midwest, including Iowa, Illinois, and the St. Louis area.

Thundergoat, a Tomah-based heavy space doom metal band that has appeared at all three festivals, will headline the outdoor show. Madison-based Plant will serve as co-headliner.

Burlingame said this year’s musicians will provide the heavier sound he originally envisioned for the event.

“I just want all the heavy, all the time, from start to end,” he said. “It should be pretty wild.”

The main outdoor festival is open to all ages. Two bands will also perform during an indoor after-party from approximately 11:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. The after-party will be limited to people 21 and older.

Making the daytime event accessible to younger fans was important to several musicians involved with the festival, Burlingame said.

“My kids are under 18, and they like this kind of stuff,” he said. “Why not let everybody have a chance to listen to it and get involved with the music?”

Burlingame believes heavy metal sometimes receives an unfair reputation from people unfamiliar with the genre. Although audiences may see aggressive performances and mosh pits, he said metal concerts generally have a strong sense of community.

“The number one rule is, if somebody falls, you pick them up,” he said. “People think of the violence and the moshing, but mosh pits have always been very communal.”

He also rejects the perception that metal is simply noise.

“Some of the greatest guitar players to ever walk the face of this earth are metal guitar players,” Burlingame said. “These guys and gals are really accomplished musicians.”

For Burlingame, the festival also fills an entertainment gap in western Wisconsin. Metal and punk fans often have to travel to La Crosse, Madison or Milwaukee to see live performances in those genres.

“There are plenty of metalheads and punk fans out here who just want somewhere to go and see shows,” he said. “If we can bring the La Crosse bands out here, that is a benefit to people in Tomah and the surrounding communities who don’t want to make that drive.”

Organizing a festival of this size has required months of work. In addition to coordinating schedules for 11 bands, organizers had to arrange fencing, lighting, sound equipment, portable restrooms, food, security, weather contingencies and a separate backstage area for musicians.

“Just the coordination has probably been the biggest challenge,” Burlingame said. “This is bigger than anything I’ve ever done before.”

Sponsorships helped organizers cover the increased cost of staging and advertising the festival. Burlingame said the immediate objective is not to generate a profit but to cover expenses, compensate the bands and build an event that can continue growing.

“It’s about bringing the show,” he said. “As long as everything is paid for and we can walk away clean, I’m fine with that.”

The festival could also provide an economic boost for other Sparta businesses. Some participating musicians will stay overnight, while visitors may stop at area restaurants, shops and lodging establishments. Local businesses will also operate vendor booths inside the festival grounds.

“We’re giving some exposure to other local businesses in town,” Burlingame said.

Organizers are adding a community-service component this year through a “fill the bus” school-supply drive. A school bus will be parked near the festival, where attendees may donate new notebooks, crayons, markers, pencils and other classroom supplies.

Those bringing a bag of new school supplies will receive a ticket for a complimentary beer or cocktail, subject to age requirements.

“It’s a way to try to give back to the community a little bit while we have all these people here,” Burlingame said. “If we can get two or three totes full of school supplies, that would be great.”

Food available during the festival will include smoked pulled pork, bratwurst and hot dogs. You will also find 3 Floyds Brewing tap takeover, and Jeppson's Malort Hydration Station!After three years of development, Burlingame hopes Sparta Metal Fest can become an established annual attraction that brings visitors downtown and exposes residents to something they may not otherwise experience.

“I’m always trying to make the community a better place in some way and host events that bring people together,” he said. “Maybe come check it out and see if you like it. You might.”

IF YOU GO

When: August 22

Where: Blue Collar Bar & Grill, 121 E Oak St, Sparta

Time: 2pm – 1am

Price: $20