GREEN RIVER — The 3rd Annual Mansface Mountain Music Festival organized by the Muley Fanatic Foundation (MFF) that was scheduled for July 17 and 18 on historic Expedition Island in Green River has been canceled due to concerns over COVID-19 and the on-going restrictions on social gatherings.
“Much like many others, we are disappointed to have to cancel the festival, the risks are just too high and the unknowns too great,” said Joshua Coursey, MFF President/CEO. “We held out as long as we possibly could hoping we would see a gainful stride of progress to allow for the event to continue. The booking of the 11 acts of entertainment, venue, stage, sound and lighting were all in place by mid-January so we were able to hang on as long as we could before having to make this unfortunate decision,” Coursey added.
Headquartered in Green River, MFF is a mule deer-based conversation group with 16 Chapters across Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Nevada and Virginia. The bulk of their support is primarily made up of sportsmen and sportswomen. The music festival idea originated as an effort to bring others to the fold that aren’t necessarily sportsmen or sportswomen but recognize that conservation is far more than hunting.
“Truth be known, the non-consumptive user of our beloved resources exceeds the consumptive user, or those that hunt. That being said, both share an appreciation and admiration for our cherished wild things and wild places. By bringing consumptive users and non-consumptive users together in something that we can all appreciate, live music and good wholesome fun, we aimed to create an opportunity to share our efforts for conservation for both demographics. The cancellation certainly stings as the event was growing with great momentum from its inception in 2018,” Coursey said.
Effective conservation in the 21st century requires a broad base of support from various stakeholders. In addition to great music, the festival has also been the platform to announce the drawing for great prizes that support the MFF mission and the 5-year PhD Deer Elk Ecology Research project that started in 2015 in partnership with the University of Wyoming and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. This year’s big raffle is a tricked out 2020 Jeep Gladiator as well as a 2020 Wyoming Commissioner’s license that allows the winner to choose elk, deer or pronghorn and any hunt area within Wyoming.
Coursey noted despite the festival being cancelled the raffle will still happen and the winners will still be drawn on July 18th . Folks can get tickets online at muleyfanatic.org or by stopping by MFF Headquarters at 5 East Railroad Avenue in Green River.
