The Frosty Badger

07/28/2026

Open Mic at The Frosty Badger. Doors open at 6:00. Mic opens at 6:30! Bring a song, Bring a pal - we’ll see you on Thursday. Hosted by Beverages by Darcy Hackbart

07/14/2026

Probably most of you have seen this - but thought it was a wonderful tribute to (two) of the greats that inspire us to do what we do - even if we’re not the ones writing the actual songs and making the music, but supporting those who do in our various ways.

Worth the whole 50-some minutes, but the observation about dancing starting at about the 46:40 mark is time well spent.

Todd Snider says thank you to John Prine.

07/02/2026

Some recent Press!

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lee Newman. Hi Lee, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?Several years ago, my wife Lisa and I bought a long-neglected old building...

06/19/2026

The common theme is still value, but not just financial value. There are a lot of things that have value that do not have a dollar sign in front of them. When people gather in a room and hear a song, connect with a painting, have a conversation with a neighbor, and return home proud of where they live and maybe inspired to live a little more creatively, that matters too.

06/17/2026

While working on grant applications, nonprofit documents, and a recent magazine interview, I found myself trying to articulate the values behind what Lisa and I have been building over the past several years.

Over the past few months, I've spent a lot of time writing.

Grant applications. Nonprofit documents. Artist agreements. Interview questions. Project plans.

One unexpected benefit of all that writing has been the opportunity to articulate why Lisa and I are doing what we're doing.

When we started restoring an old building in Ontario's NW Quarter, we weren't trying to build a venue, a record label, or a nonprofit. We simply hated the idea of seeing another old building disappear.

One project led to another. One relationship led to another. One opportunity to help led to another.

As I reflected on that journey, four words kept surfacing:

Stewardship. Placemaking. Creativity. Neighboring.

Not as a mission statement or marketing slogan, but as a description of the values that seem to guide many of our decisions.

Over time, we also realized those values found expression through the organizations we've built: The Frosty Badger through stewardship and placemaking, Audioso Records through creativity, and the Ontario Community Development Foundation through neighboring.

Whether we're hosting a concert, supporting a community program, preserving an old building, recording an artist, or simply trying to be useful to our neighbors, these ideas seem to show up again and again.

The surprising thing is that we didn't start with the framework.

We started by saying yes to things that felt worthwhile.

The framework emerged from the work.

06/12/2026

Many things to say. Thank you is a good start. Amazing how life can unfold. Started listening to Eilen Jewell in 2006, Boundary County was released on my Birthday, her music has been a gift ever since. The year Lis and I got married, she released Letters from Sinners & Strangers, and that album had Eilen’s cover of Walkin’ Down the Line which was my selection for the first Sloughfest in the same year. Looked forward to every album and release since then. To think that 20 years later we would connect through a Cadillac and to have her stop by and drop off these posters today is a beautiful reminder of how wonderful life can be. Carry on and Stay Frosty.

06/03/2026

Lisa did her sweet thing with the Ontario Transition kids today. They came to the Badger for a painting class - so proud of them!

05/30/2026

The Frosty Badger will be in his den staying cool this summer - if you want some great live music - checkout this lineup at Mackies!

The wait is over, our Summer Live Music Series is here!

We're excited to have so many familiar faces playing on the patio again this year, let us know who are you most excited to see?

05/27/2026

Yay! Time for open mic again at The Frosty Badger! The last Thursday of the month - already here. Git yer pals and come join us 5/28!