Sean C. Morgan
The Northern Farms Mudfest will be a week early this year to allow participants to “Leap into the Mud” on Feb. 29, Leap Day.
The event, at Northern Farms, located west of Holley off Highway 228, is in its second year, organized by All or Nothing Productions.
Normally held the first weekend in March, the organizers wanted to move it forward to Leap Day for the sake of the theme, said Donnie Wagner, a partner with All or Nothing.
Ticket sales are on par with last year’s event, Wagner said, with about 1,700 sold so far. The event is allowed up to 3,000. About 1,350 checked in at last year’s event, which sold just over 2,000 tickets.
The Mudfest will have a few changes this year, Wagner said.
First, the event is expanding the vendor row. For food, the Sweet Home Kiwanis Club and Sunshine Espresso will continue serving, with a Tic Tac Taco cart also available.
Two additional vendors will be on site, and Hot Tees will provide on-site event apparel again.
The grounds will be modified, with cleaning areas consolidated into four lanes, two for rigs on trailers and two for rigs moving under their own power, which Wagner hopes will speed up the exit process at the end of the day.
Parking has been rearranged, since the Northern family has constructed a new shop building as part of the family business, Wagner said.
“The hill climbs (new last year) are back again,” Wagner said. “They’re more marked to let people know it’s there. Once people figured out it was out there, they had a good time.”
The bounty holes, also started last year, are returning as well, Wagner said. Ron Pelz is the defending champion in the “tree hole,” and Jeff Unrau is the defending champion in the “progressive mud pit.” Both took home a prize package worth about $750.
This year’s prize package will be about $750 again this year, with $100 in cash donated by the event, Wagner said. Included in the package is powder coating by Santiam Powder Coating along with donations by vendors, Davis Farms and Oregon Coast Tools.
Last year, the event started out with an inch or two of snow on the ground and 28 degrees at 5 a.m., Wagner said. Looking at weather forecasts, rain is expected off and on until the event with showers possible the previous day.
“Obviously, it’s always muddy at Northern Farms,” Wagner said. “There’s never a lack of mud on the property.”
Tickets are available on the web at Eventbrite (search for Northern Farms Mudfest). Cost for web tickets is $45 for ages 16 and older and $15 for children ages 6 to 15.
Tickets may be purchased in person at American Barricade in Portland, Santiam Motors in Albany and Diesel and Offroad Authority in Veneta. Tickets purchased in-person are $40 for ages 16 and older and $10 for children ages 6 to 15. Each paying adult may bring one child 5 or younger free.
Last year, children 7 and older required an adult ticket, Wagner said. This year, All or Nothing is making it more affordable for families to attend. All or Nothing selected age 16 and older for adult tickets because that’s the age when people may obtain a license and could drive into the event.
The event is hosting a canned food drive as a way to give back to the community, Wagner said. All of those donating five or more cans of food will be entered in a drawing at 2 p.m. Festival officials will draw five numbers and post them one at a time in order to Facebook for 24 hours each until the prize is claimed or the final number is unclaimed after 24 hours.
The prize will be a minimum of $100 in cash, Wagner said. All or Nothing is seeking additional sponsors and will probably include event swag.
The donations will be given to Sweet Home Emergency Ministries.
The Northern Farms Mud Festival succeeds the annual Mud Fest held outside Holley by the Santiam Four-Wheel Drive Association, which has announced on its website that it is in the process of developing a new mud festival at a new location.