Spend the weekend with Seldom Seen

Seldom Seen festival | June 28-29 | Monmouth, Iowa

Seldom Seen returns to Mineral Crossing this weekend, and festival organizers have put together their biggest offering to date — by quite a margin, in fact.

Since 2011, the quiet 625-acre farm in Monmouth, Iowa has brought people together to camp out and celebrate artistic endeavors of all kinds. Seldom Seen has expanded considerably in the last year, however, even going so far as to host its first-ever artist-in-residence. Kyle Beachy, author of The Slide, will be staying at an on-site hermitage in the days leading up to the festival. With only his most basic amenities in tow (his dog included) and surrounded by 625 acres of farmland, Beachy plans to write material throughout his stay and report his experience back to festival attendees on Friday.

In addition to a talk and reading from Beachy, Friday evening will feature a number of literary guests including Danny Khalastchi (Manoleria) and Lucas Mann (Class A: Baseball in the Middle of Everywhere), as well as music by AlienTech and DJ Nice Kicks. Come Saturday, attendees can expect performances by Brian Johannesen & Alexis Stevens, Alex Body and Trouble Lights to name a few (see full schedule below).

 
Seldom Seen is more than the sum of its scheduled events, however. Part of the festival’s mission is to create a “full sensory experience” for attendees, far beyond what one might find on stage. Artist Ted Wittman will be projecting black and white films on the side of two 30-foot tall barns. Meanwhile, artist Kyle Regan will be constructing a hut made from materials collected from Mineral Crossing, the farm that Seldom Seen calls home (It also happens to be the childhood home of Therese Mulgrew, the festival’s founder). Painted animal head sculptures by artist Kirsten Sogaard will be scattered throughout the festival grounds as well.

The festival will also be holding its first ever attendee art collaboration, which will offer guests the opportunity to paint freely on a large, open canvas. Consider it a form of catharsis amid a sea of art and inspiration. Documenting it all will be artist Erik Dutcher, who–equipped with a Sharpie–plans to capture the sights of the festival through a series of flash doodles.

Tickets for this event are available online and at the Englert Theatre box office for $15 until 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the festival grounds for $20 on June 28-29, cash only.