Blab Music
Manistees First Dune Jam Raises Funds for New Amphitheater
Saturday, June 20, 2026, saw the Manistee Amphitheater Foundation (MAF) launch its first Dune Jam on First Street Beach. The all‑free gathering offered a full day of live music, a time‑honored Lions Fish Boil, and a soaring drone display from Starlight Aerial Productions. All of it was staged as part of a public capital drive to bankroll a new community amphitheater—“The Dune”—to be built just west of the Douglas Park parking lot.
Five local acts filled the stage, with Luke Winslow‑King, Domestic Problems, and Joe Hertler among the performers. Roughly 100 attendees tuned in for Winslow‑King’s set before the 4 p.m. fish boil kicked off. Organized by the Lions Club, the boil offered boiled potatoes, onions, coleslaw, a roll, and a cookie, all accompanied by more than 300 pounds of Lake Michigan steelhead, coho salmon, and king salmon donated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Manistee County Sportfishing Association. Between 80 and 100 volunteers managed the event’s logistics, from preparing the fish to cleaning the 300 pounds of onions and potatoes.
MAF secretary Mark Sandstedt called the day a “labor of love.” “Turnout is great. The crowd’s building, kind of what we expected. With an all‑day thing, you get a lot of come and go,” he said. “It’s just a matter of, being a first‑year event, we don’t know what to expect. But we’re very pleased. It’s gone very smoothly. Really, everything has gone to plan, and that’s all we can hope for, right?” The final two acts—Domestic Problems and Joe Hertler—each attracted their own dedicated audiences.
The proposed amphitheater will be a cast‑in‑place concrete shell topped with a living beach‑grass roof, designed to merge seamlessly with the dunes while projecting sound toward Lake Michigan and shielding the neighborhood. MAF’s capital campaign depends on community giving, and the Dune Jam pulled in about $150,000 in a single day. A $50,000 matching grant from Callesen Wealth Management and a $100,000 anonymous gift have further encouraged donors.
Founded in January 2025, MAF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works with the Manistee County Community Foundation as its fiduciary partner. Sandstedt highlighted the partnership’s value: “We are working with the community foundation so we have that fiduciary knowledge behind everything, which brings a lot of credibility to what we’re doing. People have a comfort level of giving, knowing that the money is going to what we’re raising it for. That’s really important.” Contributions to MAF are tax deductible.
The Lions Club had run the fish boil as part of the Manistee National Forest Festival until 2023, when volunteer shortages brought the tradition to a halt. By weaving the boil into Dune Jam, MAF has revived a uniquely Manistee celebration for the community’s benefit.
MAF intends to make Dune Jam an annual fundraiser, complementing Laborfest, which runs each Labor Day weekend. The objective is to secure steady revenue for building and maintaining the amphitheater. As of June 20, the foundation has raised $150,000, with further matching funds still pending.
The day closed with a drone display over First Street Beach, adding a visual flourish to the festivities. Though free, the event attracted a steady flow of visitors, swelling as evening fell. The inaugural Dune Jam’s success signals strong community backing for the new amphitheater and lays the groundwork for future fundraising efforts.
In short, Manistee’s first Dune Jam fused live music, a traditional fish boil, and volunteer energy to pull in substantial funds for a new amphitheater. The event’s success, alongside continued fundraising, positions the city to advance the construction of “The Dune” and to sustain free cultural programming for residents and visitors alike.
Five local acts filled the stage, with Luke Winslow‑King, Domestic Problems, and Joe Hertler among the performers. Roughly 100 attendees tuned in for Winslow‑King’s set before the 4 p.m. fish boil kicked off. Organized by the Lions Club, the boil offered boiled potatoes, onions, coleslaw, a roll, and a cookie, all accompanied by more than 300 pounds of Lake Michigan steelhead, coho salmon, and king salmon donated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Manistee County Sportfishing Association. Between 80 and 100 volunteers managed the event’s logistics, from preparing the fish to cleaning the 300 pounds of onions and potatoes.
MAF secretary Mark Sandstedt called the day a “labor of love.” “Turnout is great. The crowd’s building, kind of what we expected. With an all‑day thing, you get a lot of come and go,” he said. “It’s just a matter of, being a first‑year event, we don’t know what to expect. But we’re very pleased. It’s gone very smoothly. Really, everything has gone to plan, and that’s all we can hope for, right?” The final two acts—Domestic Problems and Joe Hertler—each attracted their own dedicated audiences.
The proposed amphitheater will be a cast‑in‑place concrete shell topped with a living beach‑grass roof, designed to merge seamlessly with the dunes while projecting sound toward Lake Michigan and shielding the neighborhood. MAF’s capital campaign depends on community giving, and the Dune Jam pulled in about $150,000 in a single day. A $50,000 matching grant from Callesen Wealth Management and a $100,000 anonymous gift have further encouraged donors.
Founded in January 2025, MAF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works with the Manistee County Community Foundation as its fiduciary partner. Sandstedt highlighted the partnership’s value: “We are working with the community foundation so we have that fiduciary knowledge behind everything, which brings a lot of credibility to what we’re doing. People have a comfort level of giving, knowing that the money is going to what we’re raising it for. That’s really important.” Contributions to MAF are tax deductible.
The Lions Club had run the fish boil as part of the Manistee National Forest Festival until 2023, when volunteer shortages brought the tradition to a halt. By weaving the boil into Dune Jam, MAF has revived a uniquely Manistee celebration for the community’s benefit.
MAF intends to make Dune Jam an annual fundraiser, complementing Laborfest, which runs each Labor Day weekend. The objective is to secure steady revenue for building and maintaining the amphitheater. As of June 20, the foundation has raised $150,000, with further matching funds still pending.
The day closed with a drone display over First Street Beach, adding a visual flourish to the festivities. Though free, the event attracted a steady flow of visitors, swelling as evening fell. The inaugural Dune Jam’s success signals strong community backing for the new amphitheater and lays the groundwork for future fundraising efforts.
In short, Manistee’s first Dune Jam fused live music, a traditional fish boil, and volunteer energy to pull in substantial funds for a new amphitheater. The event’s success, alongside continued fundraising, positions the city to advance the construction of “The Dune” and to sustain free cultural programming for residents and visitors alike.
