Wynterfest Returns to Eslava Creek Oct. 9-11 to Honor Mobile Percussionist Winter Baynes

MOBILE, Ala. — Five years after the Mobile music community lost one of its favorite drummers, his friends are once again turning grief into a celebration. Wynterfest, the three-day music and camping festival held in memory of percussionist Winter Baynes, returns to the banks of Eslava Creek Friday through Sunday, Oct. 9-11, with a lineup packed with tribute sets, jam bands and local favorites.

Proceeds benefit the Winter Baynes Legacy Fund along with other local charities. Tickets range from $28 to $108.

One note before packing the tent: a tropical system, Isaias, is forecast to affect the central Gulf Coast this weekend. The festival has not been canceled, but anyone planning to attend should check with organizers for any schedule or weather-related changes before heading out, and keep an eye on the latest forecasts through the weekend.

Remembering Winter Baynes

Winter Baynes, a percussionist well known in the Azalea City’s music scene, died unexpectedly on Oct. 22, 2021. His legacy endures in the memories of his friends, in the music he made and in his three children.

Those connections are the foundation of Wynterfest, which has grown into one of Mobile’s most beloved live music gatherings. The festival’s purpose is twofold: to honor a musician who meant a great deal to the people around him, and to raise money that supports his family’s future through the Winter Baynes Legacy Fund, as well as other charitable causes in the community.

Memorial festivals like this one are a long-standing tradition in music communities across the South. They bring together players who shared stages with the person being honored, give fans a way to show support, and often become annual reunions in their own right. Now in its fifth year, Wynterfest has clearly found its place on the local calendar.

Camping by the Creek

Part of Wynterfest’s appeal is that it is more than a concert. Attendees can camp alongside Eslava Creek for the weekend, with food trucks on site and a steady stream of music from Friday evening through Sunday. The relaxed, laid-back atmosphere is central to the festival’s identity, with organizers promising cool beats, good company and a chill vibe.

Eslava Creek winds through the southern part of Mobile on its way toward the Dog River watershed and, eventually, Mobile Bay. Like many low-lying waterways in the area, it can rise quickly during heavy rain — another reason campers should pay close attention to the forecast this weekend.

Friday: White Stripes and “Dark Side of the Swamp”

The music begins Friday at 6 p.m. Scott Bottrell and Rachel Lane of Spicy Danger will open the festival by transforming into Jack and Meg White for a tribute to the White Stripes. The Detroit duo became one of the defining rock bands of the early 2000s with a raw, stripped-down guitar-and-drums sound and songs such as “Seven Nation Army.”

Honey Island Swamp Band, a South Louisiana jam outfit, returns to the Azalea City for the festival. The group will once again perform “Dark Side of the Swamp,” its own interpretation of Pink Floyd’s 1973 album “The Dark Side of the Moon,” one of the best-selling and most celebrated records in rock history. Hearing that landmark album filtered through a Louisiana roots-and-funk band is the kind of musical curveball Wynterfest audiences have come to expect.

Saturday: Coffee, Jams and a Big Easy Finale

Saturday gets underway at 10 a.m. with coffee alongside Suzi Spies, followed by a set from ByrdStar. From there, the day builds into a full slate of jam-oriented music:

• East L.A. Fadeaway, a local Grateful Dead tribute band, will play music from one of rock’s most prolific and influential groups.
• Ryan Balthrop brings his Slide Bayou project for a round of jam-enhanced bluegrass and more.
• Phunk Blue Moon reunites for a flashback set of the group’s live-instrument hip-hop.
• Rufus McBlack adds a distinctive brand of modern progressive rock to the mix.
• The Iceman Special closes out Saturday night with its carefree Big Easy jam rock.

The Grateful Dead’s influence runs throughout the weekend. The band’s improvisational approach, devoted fan culture and emphasis on live performance over studio polish helped create the modern jam band scene, and tribute groups keep its catalog alive at festivals and clubs across the country.

Sunday: Spiritual Start and Improvised Finish

After a late Saturday night, the festival eases back in Sunday at 11 a.m. with the Chris B. Love Sunday Spiritual. Heady Tendergrass then makes a return to the Wynterfest stage.

Chris Spies & Quantum Mechanics will show off the band’s love of spontaneous, real-time improvisation. Destiny Inbound and Side Piece follow, and N.E.R.F. the World will bring the fifth Wynterfest to a close.

Full Lineup at a Glance

• Friday, Oct. 9 (from 6 p.m.): White Stripes tribute by Scott Bottrell and Rachel Lane of Spicy Danger; Honey Island Swamp Band’s “Dark Side of the Swamp”
• Saturday, Oct. 10 (from 10 a.m.): Coffee with Suzi Spies; ByrdStar; East L.A. Fadeaway; Ryan Balthrop’s Slide Bayou; Phunk Blue Moon; Rufus McBlack; The Iceman Special
• Sunday, Oct. 11 (from 11 a.m.): Chris B. Love Sunday Spiritual; Heady Tendergrass; Chris Spies & Quantum Mechanics; Destiny Inbound; Side Piece; N.E.R.F. the World

Weather: What Festivalgoers Should Know

With a tropical system expected to affect the area this weekend, outdoor events across the region may need to adjust. Wynterfest has not been canceled, but conditions could change quickly, and organizers are the best source for any updates on set times, camping or other arrangements.

For anyone planning to attend, a few common-sense steps can help:

• Check with festival organizers and their official channels for the latest information before leaving home and again during the weekend.
• Follow forecasts from the National Weather Service office in Mobile and advisories from the National Hurricane Center.
• Pay attention to any watches or warnings issued by local emergency management officials.
• Campers near any creek should be mindful of rising water and know how they would leave quickly if conditions worsen.
• Seek sturdy shelter at the first sign of lightning; tents and open areas do not offer protection.
• Bring rain gear, secure loose items that could be blown around, and keep phones charged.

Tropical systems can bring heavy rain, gusty winds, isolated tornadoes and localized flooding even when the center of the storm passes well away from a given area, so it is wise to stay informed regardless of the exact track.

Get Tickets Early

Wynterfest’s popularity has grown each year, and organizers encourage music fans to buy tickets now before they sell out. Ticket prices range from $28 to $108, with every purchase helping support the Winter Baynes Legacy Fund and other local charities.

For a festival rooted in friendship and memory, the best tribute may simply be showing up — and, weather permitting, spending a weekend by the creek celebrating the music Winter Baynes loved.

If You Go

• What: Wynterfest 2026, benefiting the Winter Baynes Legacy Fund and other local charities
• When: Friday, Oct. 9, through Sunday, Oct. 11
• Where: Along Eslava Creek, Mobile
• Tickets: $28 to $108; camping available
• Weather: Check with organizers for any changes related to the tropical system forecast to affect the area