ELLICOTTVILLE — Rock the Fourth of July weekend at Ellicottville’s Summer Music Festival, July 4–6, when the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce will present an unforgettable series of performances.
Presented by the chamber and hosted by Holiday Valley Resort, the three-day music event featuring live music in an outdoor theater is one of the area’s biggest and most anticipated events of the year.
The music-packed weekend will feature live music on stage at the resort, both Saturday and Sunday evenings, plus a spectacular fireworks display Sunday evening to wrap up the festival.
This year’s headliner will be country music sensation Hailey Whitters. Known for her heartfelt lyrics and captivating performances, the Grammy-nominated country singer will bring her unique blend of country music to the slope-side stage.
“This show will definitely be one for all ages to enjoy,” said Barb Pump, executive director of the chamber. “We wanted to bring in a performer that would get the crowd up on their feet dancing, singing and living their best life.
New this year will be the music festival’s first-ever Battle of the Bands that will take place Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the village. During the free, public event, 15 finalists will compete for the grand prize of performing as the opening act Saturday night for country music star Hailey Whitters. The winner will be chosen by the audience via online voting.
On Saturday night, the Battle of the Bands winner will open the show and perform 7:15–7:45 p.m. Whitters, the “Everything She Ain’t” country star, will take the stage and perform from 8:30–10:30 p.m.
The weekend will wrap up Sunday evening with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra performing “The Magical Music of Harry Potter,” beginning at 8 p.m., and a selection of patriotic favorites set to a spectacular fireworks display hosted by the resort.
Born and raised in Shueyville, Iowa, Whitters moved to Nashville at 17 and spent much of the next decade working on her craft as an artist and writer. In 2015, she released a well-received debut album, “Black Sheep,” and garnered early industry attention, landing songs with big-name artists, including Martina McBride, Alan Jackson and Little Big Town.
Her second attempt, “The Dream” in 2020, began opening doors. The Washington Post called it “the year’s deepest country album,” while Rolling Stone declared it “the type of record that could propel an artist as talented as Whitters in a million different directions.”
Two years later, her third album, “Raised,” earned her performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Today Show and Kelly Clarkson, alongside profiles ranging from NPR’s Weekend Edition to The New Yorker.
Rolling Stone proclaimed “Raised” the Top Country Album of 2022, while lead single “Everything She Ain’t” went platinum and cracked the Top 20 at country radio. Whitters took home the ACM Award for New Female Artist of the Year in addition to garnering her first CMA and Grammy nominations.
Whitters said her highly anticipated fourth album, “Corn Queen,” got its title from the fans who started calling her the “Corn Queen” because she’s from Iowa.
“At first, it seemed kind of silly, but the more I thought about it, the more I loved the duality of it. Corn is this simple, humble crop, and ‘queen’ implies royalty passed down through blood,” she said. “I come from a long line of blue-collar farmers, construction workers and bootstrappers. I’ve been out here for over a decade brushing my teeth in truck stop bathrooms, sleeping on hotel floors and driving myself from gig to gig. It’s not glamorous, but I’m proud of it. I like the idea of a queen with a little grit and elbow grease.”
Whitters recently took home the ACM Award for “New Female Artist of the Year” and also received her first CMA and Grammy nominations. She has performed at Coachella Valley, Stagecoach and Bonnaroo music and arts festivals and has toured with Luke Combs, Shania Twain, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church and Luke Bryan.
“This performance will be a bona fide great time,” Pump said. “We look forward to having another exciting Summer Music Festival.”
This amazing weekend always brings a great crowd to Ellicottville. The chamber has been hosting the Summer Music Festival for more than 25 years and it never disappoints. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience and very family-friendly.
Blankets, chairs, picnic baskets and coolers are welcome. Children age 12 and under are free. Gates open each day at 5 p.m.
Tickets to the Summer Music Festival can be purchased through the chamber’s website, ellicottvilleny.com, or by calling 1 (800) 349-9099. For more information, follow Ellicottville, NY on Facebook and @visitellicottville on Instagram.
