How two friends drummed up the idea for the Winstock Country Music Festival
WINSTED, Minn. -- Country stars Cody Johnson and Miranda Lambert will headline a popular Minnesota country music festival this summer with a unique backstory.
Every year, the population of Winstead multiplies with thousands of festival goers, exploding from roughly 2,500 to nearly 20,000 in town for two days of country music. Thirty years ago, Winstock Country Music Festival was born inside Keg's Bar on First Street.
"It was a weeknight and there weren't a lot of people in here. It's weird to come in here though and think this is where it started," Tom Ollig said.
Ollig and friend Dick Langenfeld served on committees for Holy Trinity Catholic School. After a meeting, they were kicking around ideas of how to raise money for the school.
"We both knew that we were in trouble to keep the school going. I do a lot of driving around and we seen a lot of country music festivals and we figured there's got to be a way to do it," Langenfeld said.
They figured it out with help from their wives and friends. On the bill in 1994 were Waylon Jennings, Crystal Gayle and Paulette Carlson. Langenfeld chimed into mention Carlson "was a local."
They expected 5,000 people. Only 1,300 showed up that first year.
"I think fear never entered into our mind. It was just we're gonna do it. We're gonna learn. We're gonna do it better," Ollig said.
The festival grew a little, and then a lot, becoming profitable in year four - eventually outgrowing the original location at the airport and moving to its permanent location. It then expanded to rent nearby land for the thousands of campers.
Now, it draws powerhouses in country music, from Loretta Lynn, to Alan Jackson, and Luke Bryan.
There's been shows in the rain, memorable moments, even the backdrop for a proposal. Winstock is known for being a good time, and a festival that takes security seriously.
"The Winstock crowd, they come to have fun and they know the rules. They know how much fun they can have and how much fun they can't have," Ollig said.
Ollig and Langenfeld and their families built the legacy of Winstock.
"We've had a lot of just so many wonderful people helping us through the years," LuAnn Ollig said.
Their kids and grandkids volunteer their time.
"My son has been security out there since day one," Langenfeld said.
"What makes Winstock successful is the 700 volunteers that work it every year, and without those volunteers it wouldn't happen if we had to pay everybody," Ollig said.
They're proud of where it started and where it's going.
"Truly like watching a child grow up and turn out to be pretty good," Ollig said.
"My proudest is driving by the school in the morning and kids still walking into that school, K through 12," Langenfeld said.
They handed off chairman duties years ago to Dave Danielson. And now Ryan Gueningsman takes over this year.
"I grew up on this so this is my country music college, those guys are my professors," Gueningsman said. "It's been amazing seeing what it's done not only for Holy Trinity. I went to Holy Trinity School, graduated from there, and it's been great to see what this event has done for the school, the town and the whole area, really."
They say it brings business into town to the local grocery store, gas station and bars.
Winstock Country Music Festival is June 16 and 17. Tickets are on sale now.
