This weekend: Buy one for a vet at VetFest

Oswego's new Venue 1012 is gearing up for its first major concert event this weekend, with chart-toppers and rock legends hitting the stage for a great cause.

VetFest is produced by the Vet Fest 141 Foundation.

Headlining Saturday night of the four-day festival this weekend is metal legend Vince Neil, legendary voice of M?tley Cr?e.?

Neil will perform hits such as ?Wild Side,? ?Girls Girls Girls,? ?Dr. Feelgood,? ?Home Sweet Home,? and many more.

?It?s an honor to play an event like this for such a good cause,? Neil said. ?I have several family members who served in the military including my father so a show like this is near and dear to my heart. My band and I are looking forward to performing a fun, energetic and exciting show performing all the hits.?

Twin brother rock duo Nelson will open.

?Matt and I are absolutely thrilled to be playing VetFest this year,? Gunnar Nelson said. ?On top of the thrill of sharing the bill with our great friends Vince and his bandmates, for the past hundred-plus years the Nelson family has always loved and supported our great veterans. It?s time to celebrate together and honor the best of us all. Let?s rock!?

Vince Neil and Nelson join an already packed line-up for the four-day festival, which begins on Thursday, Aug. 26, with The Man in Black ? A Johnny Cash Tribute starring Shawn Barker. Chart-topping country duo LoCash headlines Friday, Aug. 27, and local favorites 7^th Heaven bring the party on Sunday.

The four-day music event also brings food, drinks and a carnival to the new venue, plus veterans and first responders get free admission and special perks. VetFest 141?s one-for-one ticket program admits one veteran, active military member first responder or frontline medical worker for every regularly priced ticket purchased. Patrons can also buy a burger or a beer for a veteran ? even without attending the festival ? by visiting VetFest141.org and clicking ?Buy One for a Vet.?

A portion of proceeds from the festival are donated to local charities that benefit veterans and support the Oswego 308 School District.

?When we first began imagining this space just two years ago, I envisioned the kind of stage that could be both home to our local Oswego talent and a space for other big-name acts to entertain our residents and raise funds for great causes,? Village President Troy Parlier said. ?The amazing lineup for this year?s VetFest and the other great community events lined up for this fall are proof that what we?ve built here is truly something for the whole community to enjoy.?

VetFest 141 is slated to be the first major show at the new Venue 1012, which officially opened last week at 1012 Station Drive in Oswego?s Orchard Road corridor, but a packed calendar of community events is planned throughout late summer and early fall. The calendar includes a patriotic concert, the return of the free pumpkin pick-up for Oswego families and more.

Buy tickets

VetFest 141 happens Thursday, Aug. 26, through Sunday, Aug. 29, at Venue 1012, 1012 Station Drive. General admission tickets for single-night shows start at $10. Four-day passes are $75 and are on sale now at www.vetfest141.org. Concert gates open at 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 4 p.m. on Sunday. The all-ages carnival opens 5 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 1 p.m. p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

For more information about Vet Fest, or to buy tickets, visit www.vetfest141.org. For more details on Oswego's new Venue 1012, including a complete calendar of community events, visit www.oswegoil.org/venue1012.