It’s time to mark our calendars for the 14th annual Landings Music Festival, our largest and most exciting event of the season. With new approaches and significant changes to the festival, Saturday, February 21, 2026, promises to be very special.
In deep collaboration with Landings management, the festival will become a resident-managed, LYGTC-supported event. The same level of professional, popular and diverse entertainment remains our focus, but with some exciting new elements. Jim Willis will serve as Festival Chairman, supported by Festival steering members Joe Bavender, Scott Dustin and Carmine Sprio.
The concept of member-led/LYGTC-supported events, such as our Landings Chorus Concerts or Veterans Memorial celebrations at Picnic Pointe, is not new. This unique festival will be a BYO food, BYO beverage and BYO chairs event. You can even bring your own pop-up tent. This new approach allows the efficient use of resources for Landings restaurant operations during the festival weekend.
Landings General Manager, David Gillespie, commented “We are very excited with this new approach. We have been working in close collaboration with the Festival Committee and we vigorously support this wonderful tradition for the Community. Jim Willis and I strongly feel we are responding to the preferences and recommendations from festival attendees over the years.”
LYGTC will recover all incremental costs the Landings may incur from gate sales. The costs for the stage, sound, lighting systems, performances, shuttle transportation, electric power generators, port-o-potties, marketing costs, etc., managed by our Resident Committee will be paid from gate sales and sponsorships.
Festival Chairman, Jim Willis, added “This year’s event is going to be so special, and truly reflects our “We Are Family” spirit within our great campus, coming together for fun and fellowship. The event will be more affordable this year, yet still maintain the quality show standards we strive to maintain. We are thrilled by this new approach and by the support and assistance The Landings is providing.”
The resident-led Committee will assume responsibility for the event and provide full accounting of all Festival revenues and expenses for the Community. Moreover, any remaining funds from the event after all expenses are paid, will be shared equally with LYGTC and the Iona Fire District Children’s Charity program.
The 2026 Festival will again be held at the Driving Range. In recent years festival attendance has averaged over 650, with several years above 750 and a pre-Covid year high mark of just at 1,000.
Festival Steering Committee member, Joe Bavender, notes “Although we love Picnic Pointe, it is simply too small to accommodate the expected turnout, plus the logistics of stage construction at the Pointe has its limitations and added costs. We have a unique group of gifted musicians in the community, and this new approach allows us to give back to the Landings and to the respected Iona Fire Children’s Fund”
The festival show line up will be released before October 1st and ticket purchases will begin in early December.
