Ken Boland
Emcee
Ken Boland is the emcee for the OxFest Music Festival in Washington, MO. “OxFest” started as an annual barbecue organized by Dave Haddox and Kevin Walde in 2014 to memorialize the lives of Dave’s brothers Doug and Duane Haddox. Doug, the oldest, and Duane the middle brother, died prematurely from complications of diabetes, in 2013 and 2010 respectively.
At the end of each barbecue, Dave and Kevin would sit around a fire and reminisce until the wee hours of the morning. They dreamed of turning “OxFest” into a benefit music festival, never thinking their campfire talk would turn into a reality. But after the 2016 barbecue, Dave took the “Ox” by the horns and decided to make it happen. OxFest Charities was born!
Aug. 27, 2025
The Heart of Ox Fest: Music, Community, and Giving
Hosts Arnold Stricker and Mark Langston delve into the history and evolution of Ox Fest, a music festival in Washington, Missouri. Their guest, Ken Boland, the festival's MC, shares how the festival started as a barbecue in memory of his cousins Doug and Dwayne Haddocks, who passed away due to diab…