A new annual event has arrived in Jefferson County. Legends Reloaded, a two-day tribute band festival celebrating rock’s iconic artists, made its debut June 19–20 at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Madras — and drew an estimated 2,000 attendees from across the region and beyond.
Ten bands performed over the two days, paying tribute to legends including Fleetwood Mac, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Led Zeppelin. Co-producer Jason Fellman called it a resounding success.
“The bands were fantastic, we had great attendance, the weather was perfect,” Fellman said. “Everything that we were hoping, all the reasons why we chose the fairgrounds ended up coming through.”
A Familiar Venue
The choice of Madras was not accidental. Fellman is no stranger to the fairgrounds — he performed there himself years ago with Stone in Love, a Journey tribute band.
“We already were familiar with the fairgrounds, and we love the vibe there,” he said.
The high desert landscape of Central Oregon served as a backdrop the organizers felt was uniquely suited to the festival’s identity. “Set against the dramatic high desert landscape of Central Oregon, Legends Reloaded celebrates the music of rock’s most iconic artists,” the event’s website says.
Economic Development Intent
Fellman was clear that bringing tourism dollars to Madras is a core part of the event’s mission.
“A big goal in taking on this kind of a project and bringing it to a small town community like Madras is to try to be a good sort of economic development partner,” Fellman said. “To put a spotlight on cities and venues that we sort of see as up and coming.”
Many of the 2,000 ticket buyers came from outside of Jefferson County, he said, meaning the festival directly injected outside spending into the local economy through lodging, dining, and shopping.
An after-party at The Spot in downtown Madras drew the musicians and attendees together after the main events. Fellman called that moment a personal highlight.
“That’s what it’s all about — when you get to see people, musicians coming together, and everyone is kind of having a good time afterwards. That was really cool.”
Here to Stay
Perhaps the most encouraging news for local planners: Legends Reloaded is not a touring festival looking for the next town. Fellman said the team intends to keep the event rooted in Madras permanently.
“We’re not looking at doing this anywhere else,” he said. “The goal wasn’t to be a traveling festival. The goal was to put our stake down in Madras and that continues to be the goal.”
The festival’s arrival adds to a growing portfolio of annual events that bring visitors to Jefferson County, including the Jefferson County Fair and Rodeo, the Todd Beamer Memorial Run, and the Pi-Ume-Sha Treaty Days celebration in nearby Warm Springs.
Information on next year’s event will be available at harefest.com/legends-reloaded.