Hot August Music Festival Founder Stepping Down After 27 Years

Hot August Music Festival founder Brad Selko will step down from his role as organizer after next month’s event leaving the future of the festival in doubt. This year’s Hot August Music Festival will take place at its long-time home of Oregon Ridge Park in Cockeysville, Maryland on August 17.

Selko first hosted the event 27 years ago in his backyard with just two bands as a fundraiser for the Baltimore Blues Society. The Hot August Music Festival has grown in size and stature over the past 27 years and has been held at Oregon Ridge Park since 2003. “At the end of the day watching people leave with a smile on their face. And knowing they hopefully had a happy day of live music,” has kept Brad Selko organizing the festival each year.

“I’ve had a great run and met some of the most amazing people in the world over that time. It was and always has been fun,” Selko explained but added, “I think now the time is right to move on in my life.” For now, he is “just focusing on the festival and then when it’s over, we’ll see where it goes from there.” Brad is open to the event continuing in some form, “We’ve been discussing and will continue to look into possibilities after the festival of someone coming in to take it over and continue what we have started.”

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Turkuaz, Billy Strings and are among the acts set to play this year’s Hot August Music Festival. Tickets are on sale via the event’s website.