The word “Wakarusa” is a Native American term meaning "ass-deep". In and around the Lawrence Kansas area, it refers to the Wakarusa River, which, oddly enough, is about "ass-deep" in depth.
The Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival is a 4-day foot-stomping party
in the heart of the Midwest. Born in 2004, Wakarusa burst onto the scene
with a diverse and eclectic lineup featuring over 70 artists. The 2004 and
2005 bills perked the interest of both devout and casual music fans alike.
Fans that made the trip to Wakarusa left with unforgettable stories of the
music and the beautiful surroundings. In 2006, Wakarusa returned and quickly
established itself as a premiere, grassroots event in the nationwide outdoor
music scene. Attracting folks from all 50 U.S. States and 5 countries, the
2006 event featured over 100 artists, 7 stages and over 4 days of non-stop
music and entertainment. The 2007 event again featured over 100s and drew
attendees from all 50 U.S. States and several countries. 2008 will mark
the 5th Anniversary of Wakarusa and the festival organizers have several
surprises planned to mark the occasion.
Benjamin - Dallas, Texas
Freaking Awesome!!!! Kicking bands non-stop all weekend, there wasn’t
enough time to see them all, but I saw some killer shows.
Kerry - South Lake Tahoe, California
What a wonderful festival! Everything was peaceful and well organized and
it flowed very very well.
Kyle - Lawrence, Kansas
Wakarusa was awesome. I'll be back next year with more friends in tow. Thanks
for the great weekend.
Scott - Nashville,TN
Thanks for a groovy musical journey...peace out:)
Sarah - Lockport, NY
Wakarusa was an AWESOME time! I came a long way and it was soooo worth it.
Narissa - Denver CO
I absolutely LOVED, LOVED the festival. What a fun-tastic time.
Caroline - Boulder, CO
i loooooved wakarusa this year, it was a blast and i thought that you guys
did a great job scheduling bands appropriatly too.
Melanie - Boston, MA
AMAZING!!!!! I went last year, and thought nothing could beat it and I was
SOOO wrong! Waka was everything a festival should be.
Kyle - Iowa City, IA
Fantastic festival. Just as fun as Bonnaroo, only more managable, better
venue, and a great city to explore.
The Turnpike is Lawrence's coolest and longest-running documentary TV show, highlighting local artists as well as national artists coming to the area.
We've linked up The Turnpike's footage of our first two years of Wakarusa so you can learn more about Wakarusa through their eyes.
Episode I - Air date: July 29, 2004
Episode II - Air date: August 12, 2004
Episode I - Air date: July 14, 2005
Episode II - Air date: July 21, 2005
