Co-Hosted By Soil Health and Agroecological Living Lab and The Savanna Sanctuary
Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026
Time: 9am (5K Starts) - 5pm
Cost: FREE
Where: White Oak Savanna Events Farm & Sanctuary - 4352 WI-23, Dodgeville, WI 53533
Art & Education: Expo all day
Highlights: Live Music, Local Food, Fun Run, Educational & Arts Expos
Kids Activities: Petting Zoo, Face Painting, Kids Concert & more
Soil Fest will be a life-affirming, all-day celebration of the ground beneath our feet—the literal foundation of our food systems, our ecosystems, and our diverse communities. This public festival will blend science, music, food, and fun to honor the vital role soil plays in sustaining life. By celebrating the beauty of soil with an emphasis on agriculture, Soil Fest will highlight the interconnections between people across the food system and society, serving to build community and affirm life within the Wisconsin context.
The event will bring together a vibrant tapestry of the arts ‒ not just music but also dance, visual art, and interactive learning to deepen connections between people and the land. Attendees will enjoy a joyful atmosphere filled with local food, activities for all ages that blend science education with fun, and informational booths from local experts and environmental stewards.
FUN RUN w/ DRIFTLESS ENDURANCE
Kick off your Saturday at Soil Fest! with a scenic fun run on the 5K trail at 9am through the rolling prairies of White Oak Savanna. Driftless Endurance provides experiences for individuals who are looking to challenge themselves while also promoting connection to the vast and beautiful resources throughout the Driftless Area of Wisconsin. For more info visit: https://www.driftlessendurance.com/
PETTING ZOO w/ HAVENS
Havens Petting Farm allows you to experience farm life wherever you are! A great addition to any event from birthday parties, community events, weddings, and company outings We offer various petting farm setups indoor and outdoor, for events in the Midwest! 1pm - 3pm
ELM DUO
Elm Duo is a father-daughter duet that has been performing together for fifteen years. They are: the award-winning vocalist and fiddle champion Eleanor Mayerfeld (the EL in Elm Duo) and the guitarist and prize-winning composer Michael Bell (the M in Elm Duo). They like to call their style "folk cabaret," an eclectic blend of acoustic music from bluegrass to jazz to klezmer and more. They will be performing both a regular concert and a special kids show at Soil Fest. 11am kids concert, 12:30pm adults.
CAJUN STRANGERS
The Cajun Strangers are one of the Midwest’s premier Cajun music dance bands. Born out of their love for Louisiana porch music, the band performs Cajun and Zydeco dance music with “unbridled energy and contagious enthusiasm that’s more than enough to entice the most sedentary patron to rise up and shake what their mama gave’em.” (Dirty Linen Magazine) 3:30pm
ANNIE & THE OAKIES
Although Annie and the Oakies is a relatively recent name in the southern Wisconsin bluegrass scene, its roots run much deeper. All the members of A&TO were part of the Oak Street Ramblers, a Madison favorite for nearly two decades. In 2022, the band rebranded and released its eponymous debut album. Although Annie and the Oakies has a foundation based on classic bluegrass stylings, its repertoire divulges a wider range of influences. Indeed, the unexpected cover song reworked to fit a bluegrass lineup has become a staple of the band’s live performances. 11am
THE STOP & LISTEN
The Stop and Listen plays old-time stringband music with a unique set of instruments and voices. We specialize in fiddle tunes, old-time songs, jug band numbers, and country blues. They bring some serious drive and groove with harmonicas (sometimes a couple at once), extraordinary improvisation on cello and fiddle, banjos of uncompromising size, and a bass with a chip on its shoulder. Songs are sung with an old-time swagger, harmonies included. 2pm