Headstash

History Lesson: Wakarusa Through The Years

Wakarusa 2011 - Photo Credit: Jessie Popper

For four days this summer, Mulberry Mountain in Arkansas is clearly the place to be if you’re a music fan. With an eclectic mix of jam bands (Umphrey's McGee, Slightly Stoopid), rock bands (Primus, The Avett Brothers) and electronic acts (Pretty Lights, Big Gigantic, EOTO), Wakarusa's lineup has enough to satisfy a wide range of festivalgoers.

Music goes all day and night and this year, the conflicts of year's past will be lessened with so many artists given more than one set to perform. Other acts scheduled this May 31 to June 3 include Weir, Robinson and Greene Acoustic Trio, Girl Talk, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, Fitz and The Tantrums, G. Love and Special Sauce, The Del McCoury Band, Matisyahu, Ghostland Observatory, Perpetual Groove, The Travelin' McCourys and many more.

Read our previews with performer EITCH and production manager Eric Mayers to get a taste of what you're in for.

For more details on Wakarusa including camping prices and the complete lineup, check out the festival's official website. Tickets are now just $179.00 for GA and $635.00 for VIP.

With less than a month until the ninth installment, we take a look back at the past Wakarusa festivals to give you the dates, attendance logos and complete lineups from nearly a decade of incredibly memorable events.

Notice how bands have jumped from undercard to headliner as the festival has gotten bigger and better. In 2009, Pretty Lights was in the middle of the bill, now he resides at the top. Festival regular STS9 slowly but surely rose through the ranks to become a 2010 headliner after playing the first Waka when it was held in Kansas.

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Wakarusa 2004
June 17-20, 2004
Attendance: 5,000

Lineup: O.A.R., Keller Williams, Robert Randolph and The Family Band, North Mississippi Allstars, Galactic, Guided By Voices, Particle, Leftover Salmon, Jazz Mandolin Project, STS9, Los Lonely Boys, Robert Walter's 20th Congress, Bob Schneider, Derek Trucks Band, Indigenous, The Samples, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Benevento/Russo Duo, Drive By Truckers, Lucero, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Spoon, Steve Poltz, Tishamingo, Mindy Smith, Garaj Mahal, Barefoot Manner, Marc Broussard, Green Lemon, Mission 19, Exit Clov, Moonshine Still, Donna the Buffalo, Perpetual Groove, Big Wu, BR5-49, Split Lip Rayfield, Hot Buttered Rum String Band, Signal Path, Hackensaw Boys, ekoostik hookah, Mountain of Venus, Jennifer Hartswick Band, Theresa Andersson Group, Woven, Chris Duarte Group, The Motet, Greyhounds, Lost Trailers, Hairy Apes BMX, Papa Mali, Tea Leaf Green, Slobberbone, Mofro, Robert Bradley's, Blackwater Surprise, Kaki King, Shanti Groove, Drums and Tuba, Pomeroy, Robbie Fulks, Bottlerockets, Forty Twenty, James McMurtry, Weary Boys, Monte Montgomery, Tanner Walle, Steve Poltz, Arthur Dodge, Mother Kali, The Schwag, Dewayn Brothers, Big Metal Rooster, Four Fried Chickens and a Coke, Bockman's Euphio, Speakeasy, Hello Superworld

Lineup: Wilco, The String Cheese Incident, Gov't Mule, Umphrey's McGee, North Mississippi Allstars, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Jazz Mandolin Project, Particle, Galactic, Ozomatli, Big Head Todd and The Monsters, Little Feat, Martin Sexton, John Butler Trio, Junior Brown, Split Lip Rayfield, Son Volt, Railroad Earth, Matisyahu, Neko Case, The Samples, Old Crow Medicine Show, Xavier Rudd, Mofro, Hot Buttered Rum String Band, The Gourds, Calexico, Perpetual Groove, The Big Wu, Moonshine Still, New Monsoon, Donna the Buffalo, Proto-Kaw, Hackensaw Boys, Greyhounds, Papa Mali, Hairy Apes BMX, Carbon Leaf, Ari Hest, Chubby Carrier and The Bayou Swamp Band, Rose Hill Drive, Blueground Undergrass, Tea Leaf Green, Shanti Groove, ALO, John Brown's Body, Deep Fried Pickle Project, Pomeroy, Groovatron, Mocean Worker, Green Lemon, Robert Bradley's Blackwater, Surprise, The Schwag, Two High String Band, Ten Mile Tide, Big Metal Rooster, Drakkar Sauna, The Jeff and Vida Band, Truckstop Honeymoon, Pnuma, Conspirator, Dojo, Brian Mitchell Group, Steel Train, Arthur Dodge and The Horsefeathers, 4 Fried Chickens and a Coke, Kirk Rundstrum Band, Hello Superworld

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Wakarusa 2006
June 8-11, 2006
Attendance: 15,000

Lineup: The Flaming Lips, Gov't Mule, Robert Randolph and The Family Band, The Greyboy Allstars, STS9, Yonder Mountain String Band, Bela Fleck and The Flecktones, The Disco Biscuits, Les Claypool, Keller Williams, Michael Franti and Spearhead, The Reverend Horton Heat, Zilla, The Mutaytor, Buckethead, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Railroad Earth, Bernie Worrell and the WOO Warriors, Benevento-Russo Duo, ALO, Perpetual Groove, Tim Reynolds, Cracker, New Monsoon, Tea Leaf Green, Brother's Past, Oteil and The Peacemakers, Moonshine Still, Assembly of Dust, The Cat Empire, Hot Buttered Rum, Pnuma Trio, Bassnectar, Hurra Torpedo, Papa Mali, Chubby Carrier, Todd Snider, Lucero, Will Hoge, Donna the Buffalo, Gabby La La, William Elliot Whitmore, Jake Shimabukuro, Bob Schneider, Jerry Joseph and The Jackmormons, Samantha Stollenwerck, Larry Keel and Natural Bridge, Delta Nove, MOFRO, Shooter Jennings, Camper Van Beethoven, Lotus, Andrew Bird, Shanti Groove, Alfred Howard and The K23 Orchestra, Reverend, Peyton's Big Damn Band, Yard Dogs Road Show, Jackie Greene, Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers, Truckstop Honeymoon, Hackensaw Boys, Chris Berry and Panjea, Rose Hill Drive, The Avett Brothers, Trampled by Turtles, 56 Hope Road, Del Castillo, Deep Fried Pickle Project, Virginia Coalition, Honeytribe featuring Devon Allman, Backyard Tire Fire, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Groovatron, Green Lemon, Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band, Probably Vampires, Rocky Votolato, Jesus Christ Superstar, My-Tea Kind, Big Thumb, Big Metal Rooster, White Ghost Shivers, Bootyjuice

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Wakarusa 2007
  June 7-10, 2007
Attendance: 12,000

Lineup: Widespread Panic, Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals, Yonder Mountain String Band, Medeski, Martin and Wood, John Butler Trio, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Les Claypool, Galactic, Ozomatli, North Mississippi Allstars, Citizen Cope, The Night Watchman, Little Feat, Ozric Tentacles, Martin Sexton, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Son Volt, Sam Bush, The Avett Brothers, Railroad Earth, JJ Grey and MOFRO, Perpetual Groove, Lotus, New Monsoon, Indigenous, Tea Leaf Green, EOTO, Zilla, ALO, The Slip, Assembly of Dust, The Greencards, Papa Mali, The Everyone Orchestra, Honkytonk Homeslice, Trampled By Turtles, The Waybacks, Bobby Bare, Jr., The Be Good Tanyas, The Lee Boys, Toubab Krewe, RAQ, Moving Matter, Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band, Bassnectar, The Wood Brothers, Pnuma Trio, Shannon McNally, Luna Angel (featuring Moese Angel), Oakhurst, Backyard Tire Fire, Groovatron, The Motet, SeepeopleS, Crooked Still, Asylum Street Spankers, Jesus Christ Superstar, Outformation, Kan'Nal, Delta Nove, Green Lemon, U-Melt, The Bridge, The New Mastersounds, The Spam Allstars, The Deep Fried Pickle Project, That 1 Guy, DJ Harry, Kid Beyond, Dubconscious, Four Fried Chickens and a Coke, BoomBox, Earl Greyhound, Cornmeal, The Beautiful Losers, The Balance, Citizen Mundi, Sol Spectre, The Fuz, Savoy, Defined Perception, Dirtfoot, The Diamond Heart Club, Revolutionary Side Effects, Brent Berry, Chinese Fingertrap, Orooni, Cosmopolitics, Chilly Moon, Guse, Public Property, Jabarvy, Julia Peterson, Remedy, Tangleweed, REiDO, Spare Parts, Liars of Local Interest, Brother's Green, 8-trac, Grazgrove, Obsidian's Dream, The Canvas, Ras Neville and The Kingstonians, Alice Texas, 3 Peas, The Super American Happy Fun Good-Time Jamband, The Bridge, Whitewater Ramble

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Wakarusa 2008
  June 6-8, 2008
Attendance: 10,000

Lineup: The Flaming Lips, Emmylou Harris, Ben Folds, STS9, Cake, Zappa Plays Zappa, Mickey Hart Band featuring Steve Kimock and George Porter Jr., Keller Williams, Leftover Salmon, David Grisman Quintet, Blackalicious, Ozomatli, Built To Spill, Buckethead, Bettye LaVette, Ozric Tentacles, Lotus, Galactic, The Everyone Orchestra, Old 97's, Alejandro Escovedo, Yard Dogs Road Show, Porter Batiste Stoltz, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Tea Leaf Green, The Avett Brothers, Split Lip Rayfield, Dr. Dog, State Radio, Brett Dennen, Arrested Development, Del The Funkyhomosapien, New Monsoon, Hot Buttered Rum, Panjea featuring Chris Berry and Michael Kang, EOTO, Donna the Buffalo, Delta Nove, Mates of State, Tilly and the Wall, Apollo Sunshine, Pete Francis (of Dispatch), Papa Mali, DVJ Mike Relm, Limbeck, Steel Train, C-Mon and Kypski, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise, The Dynamites feat Charles Walker, That 1 Guy, Ryan Bingham, The Gourds, Uncle Monk, Truckstop Honeymoon, Dirtfoot, Backdoor Slam, Paw, Hayes Carll, Cornmeal, Oakhurst, WhiteWater Ramble, Randy Crouch, Future Rock, South Austin Jug Band, The Heavy Pets, Bang Camaro, Brent Berry Band, American Babies, Hoots and Hellmouth, Blue Turtle Seduction, Turbine, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Chicago Afrobeat Project, Family Groove Company, Madahoochi, Big Smith, 4th of July, Stardeath and White Dwarfs, Bump, The Macpodz, Jennie Arnau, Wisebird, Cosmopolitics, Billy the Squirrel, Dewayn Brothers, Grimy Styles, Shady Lane String Band, SLM, Creating a Newsense, Chinese Fingertrap, Calamity Cubes, Garrett Nordstrom Situation, Mr. Baber's Neighbors: The Solar String Band, Archetype, Savoy, Remedy, HipHopotamus, Hunab, The Station, Poor Miner's Union, Deadman Flats, Head for the Hills, Rich Berry, Prism, Fatty Lumpkin, Galapagos, Home, Mr. Blotto, East Ash Street Band, WoolEye, Cooper's Orbit, Robots vs. Dinosaurs, Tech Tonic, Jah Roots, Grazgrove, Somasphere, Sam and The Stylees, Public Property, That Damn Sasquatch, Potcheen Folk Band, Redux, Alan Vasquez, 77 Jefferson, Nama Rupa, Mountain of Venus

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Wakarusa 2009
June 3-6, 2010
Attendance: 10,000

Lineup: The Black Crowes, Gov't Mule, STS9, Yonder Mountain String Band, Les Claypool, G. Love and Special Sauce, Matisyahu, Gomez, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Shpongle - DJ Set, Galactic, Buckethead, Sly and Robbie, Railroad Earth, Steve Kimock Crazy Engine featuring Melvin Seals, PRAANG, Porter Batiste Stoltz, Perpetual Groove, JJ Grey and Mofro, Jimmy Herring Band, The Egg, 20/20 Soundsystem, Lucero, Split Lip Rayfield, The New Mastersounds, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit, EOTO, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, Secret Chiefs 3, Boombox, New Monsoon, Moonalice, Jacob Fred, Jazz Odyssey, Ott, Ganga Giri, Cornmeal, Joe Purdy, Telepath, Jessie Baylin, Langhorne Slim, Dusty Rhodes and the River Band, Cedric Burnside and Lightnin' Malcolm, Big Smith, Josh Phillips Folk Festival, Dirtfoot, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Elmwood, Pretty Lights, Heavyweight Dub Champion, Underground Orchestra, DJ Rekha, Chuck Love, Wax Fang, Old School Freight Train, Mishka. The Heavy Pets, Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights, My Dear Disco, Radiohiro presents DubFi Soundsystem, Blue Mountain, Hoots and Hellmouth, Burnin' Smyrnans, Public Property, Madahoochi, Scythian, Elephant Revival, Euforquestra, Hana Pestle, The Hood Internet, My-Tea Kind, Home, Paul Benjaman Band, Samantha Crain and The Midnight Shivers, Turbine, Mayola, Spoonfed Tribe, Charliehorse, Uncle Lucius, Reelfoot, David Hasselhoff on Acid, Mountain Standard Time, Blue Martian Tribe, GEM, Spotting Waldo, The Running Wild Band, The Moai Broadcast, Damn Bullets, The Corduroy, Green Sugar, LFDC Funk, Gum

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Wakarusa 2010
June 3-6, 2010
Attendance: 18,000

Lineup: Widespread Panic, STS9, Umphrey's McGee, The Disco Biscuits, The Black Keys, Slightly Stoopid, John Butler Trio, Blues Traveler, Dweezil Zappa Plays Zappa, Robert Randolph and The Family Band, Bassnectar, Railroad Earth, The Machine Performs Pink Floyd, JJ Grey and MOFRO, 7 Walkers feat. Papa Mali and Bill Kreutzmann, Lotus, Rebelution, ALO, State Radio, Tea Leaf Green, BoomBox, Black Joe Lewis, Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk, Dub Tribe Soundsystem, Fishbone, EOTO, James Zabiela, Mark Farina, Todd Snider, Split Lip Rayfield, The Mother Hips, Tipper, Ott, Hayes Carll, Tortured Soul, Sub Swara, Stephen Kellogg and The Sixers, Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band, Trampled by Turtles, Wookiefoot, Future Rock, Mishka, Kraak and Smaak, Spacemen, MiM0SA, Two Fresh, Big Gigantic, Truth and Salvage Co., Pimps of Joytime, Pete Francis, That One Guy, Ekoostik Hookah, Fort Knox Five, Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Mountain Sprout, Great American Taxi, Band of Heathens, Last Waltz Ensemble, Cash'd Out, The Constellations, Earl Greyhound, LYNX and Janover, Jay Nash, Supervillians, Bluetech, Backyard Tire Fire, The Bridge, Big Smith (Gospel Grass Set), Shannon McNally and Hot Sauce, Dirtfoot, The Heavy Pets, Spoonfed Tribe, Sunshine Jones, The Uglysuit, Kinetix, Passafire, Simplified, Truckstop Honeymoon, Indofin, Bootleg, Oakhurst, Ben Miller Band, Matthew Mayfield, Wes Kirkpatrick, Hoots and Hellmouth, Deadman Flats, Resident Anti-Hero, Somasphere, Radiohiro and MC Zulu, Speakeasy, Charliehorse

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Wakarusa 2011
June 2-5, 2011
Attendance: 20,000

Lineup: My Morning Jacket, Ben Harper and the Relentless 7, Thievery Corporation, STS9, Bassnectar, Umphrey's McGee, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Mumford and Sons, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Toots and the Maytals, Ghostland Observatory, Modeslektor, Shpongle, Hallucinogen, Ozomatli, Rebelution, Galatic, Lotus, The New Deal, JJ Grey and MOFRO, Quixotic, Dark Star Orchestra, North Mississippi Allstars, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, Ryan Bingham, Lucero, The Heavy, Perpetual Groove, Wookiefoot, Budos Band, Grupo Fantasma, Split Lip Rayfield, Cornmeal, Ekoostik Hookah, MarchFourth Marching Band, EOTO, Skrillex, Beats Antique, Stanton Warriors, Big Gigantic, The Beautiful Girls, Here Come The Mummies, Hot Buttered Rum, Langhorne Slim, Truth and Salvage Co, Iration, John Brown's Body, Delhi 2 Dublin, Dana Fuchs, Hugo, Ott, VibeSquaD, Peelander-Z, Roy Davis Jr., Eliot Lipp, Karsh Kale, SBTRKT, Two Fresh, Resident Anti-Hero, Janover, Paper Diamond (Alex B.), Ana Sia, Syd Gris, Lance Herbstrong, An-Ten-Nae, Emancipator, TOKiMONSTA, Random Rab, Those Darlins, Jay Nash, Carrie Rodriguez, TFDI, Dubskin, Dirtfoot, The Pimps of Joytime, Ha Ha Tonka, Mountain Sprout, Mountain Standard Time, Lubriphonic, Papa Grows Funk, Papadosio, Hoots and Hellmouth, Scythian, Spoonfed Tribe, Zoogma, Family Groove Company, These United States, Josh Phillips Folk Festival, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Marrakesh Express, Honey Island Swamp Band, Poor Man's Whiskey, Spiritual Rez, Frontier Ruckus, The Werks, Moon Taxi, Kinetix, The Congress, The Floozies, Somasphere, The Ben Miller Band, Radiohiro with MC Zulu, MO7S, TAKE, Buckethead, Minus The Bear, The Stone Foxes, Chamberlin, Fresh 2 Death, Nadis Warriors, Quiet Corral, Mouth, Saturday Sirens, Coleslaw, Brother Bagman, Vibenhai, Totojojo, STEEZ, The Boys 'n The Barrels, The Woskshy, iLLPHONICS, MONTU, The Coop, Lightajo, Where's Lawrence?, Tyrannosaurus Chicken, Soul Rebel and The Beast, Carrie Nation and Speakeasy, Vagabound Swing, Holding Space, Ugly Lion, Trichome, James and The Devil, Reelfoot

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Wakarusa 2012
May 31 - June 3, 2012

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For more information on Wakarusa, including the full lineup, ticket prices and analysis, visit our 2012 Festival Guide or the festival’s official website.

Are you excited for Wakarusa 2012? Let us know in the comments below.