As mentioned in an earlier post, there were two Vintage Band Festival interns working alongside the VBF Board and volunteers in preparation and execution of each event between 2010 and 2019. In 2019 the two interns were Landry Forrest and Mickaylie Bade. Our intrepid secretary, Joy Riggs, recently caught up with Mickaylie, now Mickaylie Bade Boldenow and found out what she’s doing today and what she remembers about her VBF experiences.

What year did you graduate from St. Olaf, and what was your major/degree?

• Class of 2020 – English major with concentrations in Management Studies and Gender Studies

What do you do now for work and for fun?

• Work: I’m an Event Planner at St. Olaf College.
• Fun: I love to try new things from new crafts to restaurants to outdoor activities and everything in between.

What are your favorite memories from the VBF experience?

• I loved the puzzle aspect of my VBF internship, trying to figure out how to coordinate all of the bands and musicians and working with local businesses. However, my absolute favorite memory is standing in the information booth, answering questions, listening to fantastic music, and seeing all of my hard work unfold. It was incredible to see it all finally come together and be able to enjoy the great music with a great crowd of people.

Is there something you learned as a VBF intern that has been useful for later in your life?

• I learned many technical skills from my internship, but primarily, I learned a lot about event planning and managing my workload. Many of skills I developed in this internship, I use daily in my current role as an event planner.

Have you been back to a festival since you interned? If so, when? 

• I’ve returned a couple times since my internship. I believe the years were 2022 and 2025.

Are you coming back for this year’s 20th anniversary?

• Yes! Looking forward to VBF 2026!