Under the towering cottonwood trees in the Stockholm Village Park, located on the banks of the Mississippi River at Lake Pepin, the fair offers a background of live music from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with diverse performances by some of the area’s premier players. To help offset the cost of bringing these fine musicians to the fair, please consider throwing some of your extra change into the “tip jar” to help keep music in our next season of the Stockholm Art Fair!
10:00 – 10:50: Tommy Bentz
Singer/songwriter/blues guitarist from River Falls, Wisconsin
Tommy Bentz (of the Tommy Bentz Band) is thrilled to be performing at the Stockholm Art Fair. Tommy and his band have been performing for over 20 years in the style of “Allman Brothers meets Van Morrison”. Tommy will perform songs from his 6 original albums, live DVD and CD, and unique covers and more. Tommy and his band are currently working on a new release set for 2026. TBB tours regionally, has toured overseas for over 10 years and competed in the International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis, TN in January, 2020, representing the State of Wisconsin.
11:00 – 12:00: Katie and Mac
Guitar Accordion Duet with beautiful vocals from Alma, Wisconsin
Katie Henry and Mac Cherry have been playing the upper Mississippi River Valley for the last several years. Their repertoire is an eclectic mix of Beatles to Billie Eillish, 50’s torch singers to Norah Jones and just about (but not quite) everything in between. Katie is an accomplished pianist and accordion player and Mac has a guitar playing style that is oddly unique and he’s prone to the occasional whistling solo without request. Their vocal blend is something special and their stage presence is usually humorous, sometimes ridiculous and almost always entertaining
12:15 – 1:15: Patchouli
singer/songwriter/guitarist
from Maiden Rock, Wisconsin
Julie Patchouli has been a professional touring singer-songwriter multi-instrumentalist since age 18. She has, with her husband and master guitarist Bruce Hecksel, performed over 5,000 concerts around the world in a 30 year career as the #1 Charting International Guitar folk duo Patchouli & Terra Guitarra. They met thru music in Chicago in the ‘90s, and after years of living on the road, crossing back and forth over the Mississippi River, in 2003 they settled in the beautiful Lake Pepin village of Maiden Rock, WI. They made fast friends with local artists and musicians and Bruce & Julie have since dedicated their past 22 years of 3rd Saturdays in July to the Stockholm Art Fair playing music, running sound, herding musicians, hauling hay bales, designing graphics, raising tents, showing art, emceeing and cleaning up. Sadly, in July 2025 after a three year battle with stage IV cancer, Bruce suffered a stroke days before the Art Fair and passed away on July 28. Patchouli was working on their 23rd recording together when Bruce died. Julie went back into the studio this winter to finish the album and released it in April 2026. Julie will be performing this special set of music in honor of Bruce’s life in the Arts, playing fan favorite songs and sharing the new album release “Everything it Takes”.
1:15: Artist Awards
Announcement and Presentation
Best of Show and three Merit Awards will be announced and presented on the main stage by this year’s two Stockholm Art Fair judges.
1:30 – 2:30: Reckless Saints
Blue twangled folk ‘n’ roll from San Carlos Park, Florida
Reckless Saints – A solo dad with a syndicated comic strip, (who once designed Happy Meal toys,) crossed paths with a single mom who worked as a massage therapist and yoga instructor. Their first date featured his guitar, her piano, and an impromptu mandolin lesson. He channeled the vibes of Guy Clark, Mississippi John Hurt, and Darrell Scott, while she introduced tunes from Wilco, Lucinda Williams, Harry Nilsson, and Iggy Pop. The outcome? A genre they affectionately dub ‘blue twangled folk ‘n’ roll.’ Fast forward 22 years, 7 albums, and countless gigs later, they’re recording a new collection of Reckless Saints originals live in studio for 2027.
2:45 – 3:45: Nick Elstad Trio
Folk, Americana, and Indie from Nelson, Wisconsin
Nick Elstad has a distinct vocal style that sits atop his americana/indie sundae cherry red. His songs are for the dreamers and the hopeful. Winding stories of love in an America even he himself doesn’t always believe in anymore. But it’s better to be hopeful than broken down, so he’s happy to drive the midnight freeways of middle america with his band in search of it all. Nick and Tyler also perform in the Minneapolis rock and roll group Sleeping Jesus.
4:00 – 4:45: The Hot Flashes
A Sassy Blast from the past from Lake Pepin Area
Since 2008, The Hot Flashes have been singing and performing for community functions around the Lake Pepin area. This group of a dozen or so “seasoned” women have a diverse repertoire of lively tunes in genres that range from Swing, to R&B, Rock & Roll, Pop andDisco. With instrumental accompaniment from a keyboard, ukuleles, steel drum, horns and percussion, The Hot Flashes take their audience down “Memory Lane” as they share their versions of favorite songs from bygone eras
