LIBERTY -- Ken Dunegan laid back in his plush love seat, taking in the music.
Everything had worked out well for him on Saturday. The Ogden Music Festival relocated from its original venue at Fort Buenaventura in Ogden to Liberty's North Fork Park, just a few minutes from his Eden home.
Plus, he got in for free with the two tickets he won in a Facebook giveaway, affording him a chance to see guitarist Junior Brown. He's a big fan.
"This is great," Dunegan said, smiling, taking in the snow-capped mountain view.
That chill attitude was prevalent throughout the music festival.
But two weeks ago, the vibe was much more hectic for the organizers. The weekend festival takes place at Fort Buenaventura every year, but the park is under water.
Michelle Tanner and the Ogden Friends of Acoustic Music board that she directs scrambled to find a new location and start all over. North Fork Park also is owned by Weber County, which saved them a lot of time when it came to contracts, Tanner said.
By Saturday morning, they were able to breathe easy with everyone else. Organizers were satisfied that at least they wound up with a beautiful location.
"I should have brought my skis, I could have got a run in," said Paul Dowler, the ticket man, admiring the mountains behind him as he strolled through the park.
As pleased as he was with the locale and warm weather, Dowler was just as impressed by the turnout. Officials had to expand both parking areas when more than 800 people arrived Friday night. A few of them decided to camp in the park overnight as well.
That included Dominique Williams' family, who drove up from Highland to enjoy the music and as a welcome surprise, play some as well.
"I've got to try this," Williams said, picking up a washboard and slinging it around her neck.
She and her family had ventured over to Todd Crowley's Traveling Musical Petting Zoo. As one of the festival's vendors, Crowley set up instruments from all over the world for anyone to pick up and play.
Crowley's family could not afford musical instruments when he was a child, so as he steadily got his hands on them, he felt he had to share the joy of discovering an instrument with whoever was curious or adventurous enough to try.
Among them was Williams' 13-year-old son, Collin, who had just discovered a piano instrument from India. He plays percussion instruments and wasn't convinced that there was a better alternative yet.
But he and other children enjoyed discovering new music all the same.
None of the instruments were electric, which is a goal of the festival, said Reba Nissen, the musician liaison for OFOAM.
"Most of what (children) hear today is synthetic," she said, so many of the guest musicians play acoustic.
Britney Anderson, the driver for the youth band Avalanche, loves the unplugged music. She was also impressed by how people with all sorts of personal differences can come together at the festival.
"It's nice to get along with everybody," she said, kicking back in the sun with all the other music lovers.
The festival continues today until 6:15 p.m., when Clumsy Lovers will close out the show.
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