Big Ponderoo Music Festival: Intimate Music Experience in Sisters, Oregon

Kick off summer and kick up your heels at the second annual Big Ponderoo Music and Art Festival. SFF Presents newest music event will take place on June 29 and 30, 2024 in the heart of Sisters, Oregon. Big Ponderoo brings fresh energy to SFF Presents’  mission of “strengthening community and transforming lives through music and art.” With an impressive 16-act lineup performing at two outdoor stages, a free community art walk and celebration,  plus room for camping, Big Ponderoo has all the ingredients for a true festival experience. Bring your picnic blankets, dancing boots, or bare feet and get ready for an intimate music experience filled with an incredible lineup of Americana, alt-country, blues, and bluegrass talent with the soul of Sisters.

How Big Ponderoo Was Born

The creation of Big Ponderoo has been a long-time dream at SFF Presents (producers of the long-running Sisters Folk Festival). It was born out of a collective vision and desire to create Thanks something new and fresh early in the summer that would widen the festival’s audience base, Communication Manager Erin Pihl explained. The light-hearted name reflects the energy that inspired the creation of the festival. Ponderoo is a play on the word ponderosa, said Pihl. “Our creative director Brad Tisdel wanted to celebrate the massive ponderosas that characterize Central Oregon, as well as a sense of place, and the fun, fresh feel we envisioned for the festival,” she said. At Big Ponderoo, taking place under the sun, moon, and stars, music lovers are invited to bring their tarps and chairs, tents and sandwiches, and camp out at the new 2024 venue, Village Green Park. 

Where to Watch

Musical performances will take place at Village Green Park, conveniently located in the center of town under Central Oregon’s trademark ponderosa pines. The lineup for Big Ponderoo is filled with vibrant talent sure to get you grooving. The event is headlined by Shinyribs, an Austin-based 10-piece supergroup defying genres as a sonic melting pot of Texas Blues, New Orleans R&B funk, horn-driven Memphis Soul, and country twang; Oliver Wood,  the frontman of The Wood Brothers and a mainstay of modern-day American roots music; and Silverada (formerly Mike and the Moonpies), global ambassadors of a blue-collar country sound, striking a balance between timeless influences and cool, contemporary appeal. Enhancing the festival’s music scene, Big Ponderoo is also hosting the Ponderoo Arts Experience throughout the week, exploring self-expression through the visual arts, including a dynamic Art Stroll complete with more live music at 13 galleries around Sisters. 

Why Attend Big Ponderoo

Big Ponderoo brings a different energy to the myriad music festivals in Central Oregon. Since it is an independent, nonprofit event, attending Big Ponderoo is an investment in the community, and festival goers will feel that friendly, close-knit community energy.

“We are offering something very intimate where you’re up close and personal with the artists,” said Pihl. “Going to Sisters makes you feel transported back in time, to a quieter pace. The festival will have that laid back, getaway feeling.” 

SFF Presents is passionate about including all who are inspired by music and are hosting a free community event to begin the Big Ponderoo festivities at Village Green Park on Friday, June 28, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. Listen to festival bands The East Pointers and The Sam Chase and the Untraditional as you dance with friends, sip, and nibble on local fare, take in art displays and interactive arts events, and embrace the intimate community vibe to kick off Sisters’ newest summer festival Big Ponderoo.

The Weekend Lineup