Fort Stevens State Park

Wilder Frets: Classical Guitar in the Wilderness

Tye Austin, M.M. – Virtuoso Guitarist & Artistic Director

“One of the best classical guitarists in the world.” – CBS News

Fort Stevens State Park
Location: 1675 Peter Iredale Rd, Hammond, OR 97121
Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Time: 5:30pm–7:00pm (Seating at 4:30pm)
Tickets sold online only. Buy tickets below. All ages welcome.

This is 1 of 2 Wilder Frets concerts at Fort Stevens State Park. Click here for the concert on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.

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About Wilder Frets

For our inaugural season, Wilder Frets: Classical Guitar in the Wilderness will tour across the state of Oregon from August 1–October 1, 2026. Led by classical guitar virtuoso and artistic director Tye Austin, the series replaces the traditional concert hall with immersive wilderness landscapes—including state parks, farms, ranches, wineries, hot spring resorts, and other unique locations throughout the state. Audiences experience each performance through wireless headphone technology, allowing them to move freely and explore the surrounding landscape within a quarter-mile radius as the music accompanies their wanderings through each Wilder setting.

About this Site

Fort Stevens State Park stretches across Oregon’s northernmost coastline near the mouth of the Columbia River, where expansive beaches, shifting dunes, freshwater lakes, and dense maritime forest converge in a landscape shaped by both natural forces and human history. Named for the historic military fort established during the Civil War to defend the Columbia River entrance, the park preserves more than 4,300 acres of coastline influenced by powerful tides, sediment flows, and the meeting of river and sea along the Pacific Northwest coast. Shore pine, Sitka spruce, and coastal wetlands thrive in the cool marine climate, while miles of trails wind through forest, dunes, and open shoreline. Along the beach, the wreck of the Peter Iredale remains partially buried in the sand, a striking reminder of the region’s maritime past and ever-changing coastline. Nearby estuaries and offshore waters provide habitat for seabirds, elk, harbor seals, migrating gray whales, and diverse marine life supported by the Columbia River ecosystem. For thousands of years, this region has been home to Indigenous peoples, including the Clatsop people, whose cultures were deeply connected to the river, forests, and sea. Today, Fort Stevens State Park remains a beloved destination where visitors explore historic fortifications, bike through coastal forest, and experience the wild beauty and rich history of the Oregon Coast.

About the Artist

Oregon-born classical guitarist and composer Tye Austin, M.M., is the Artistic Director of Wilder Frets, a concert series that brings world-class classical guitar performances into natural wilderness settings. With ancestral ties to Franco-Spanish Caribbean pirates and Takelma and Ojibwe heritage, he draws on a deep cultural connection to Spanish and Latin American repertoire, shaping his interpretations with distinctive authenticity and depth. Praised by NBC News for making “the guitar sing like it was invented only to be in his hands,” Austin is an internationally recognized virtuoso guitarist whose career includes appearances at venues such as Carnegie Hall and Royal Albert Hall, performances for global leaders at the United Nations, and international residencies and tours across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. He was also hired as the principal classical guitarist for Royal Caribbean International cruise lines. He holds a Master of Music from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. In his spare time, he can be found fly-fishing, foraging, or skinny-dipping in geo-thermal hot springs.

What You’ll Hear

Classical guitar virtuoso Tye Austin will draw from the following programs at each concert, offering a different and unique selection of works for every performance.

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Concert FAQs

Accessibility
The walk from the parking area to the concert site is approximately 300–500 feet. The route includes uneven gravel, grass, and dirt surfaces with a gentle incline. The performance area is set on natural and uneven terrain.

Seating
General admission is first come, first served. Guests are encouraged to bring their own chairs or blankets, as no seating is available at this venue. To ensure clear sightlines for all attendees, please place high-back chairs toward the rear of the audience area.

Food & Beverages
You may bring your own picnic basket to enjoy during this concert. Make sure you pack out what you pack in and leave no trace.

Dogs
Dogs are welcome in nearly all Oregon State Parks, provided they are kept on a physical leash no longer than six feet at all times and don’t bark incessantly during the performance.

Smoking
Smoking and vaping are strictly prohibited at all Wilder Frets concert locations.

Tickets
Tickets are sold online only. No on-site sales.

Refunds & Cancellations
All ticket sales are final. Refunds are only issued if Wilder Frets cancels a performance. Concerts take place rain or shine.

More Questions? Visit Concert FAQs on our website or email info@wilderfrets.org

Concerts take place rain or shine, and all ticket sales are final. By purchasing a ticket, you acknowledge and agree that no refunds will be issued. By attending Wilder Frets: Classical Guitar in the Wilderness, you grant permission to be photographed and/or filmed, and consent to the use of your likeness in promotional and marketing materials. Due to the natural and outdoor settings of Wilder Frets performances, all guests are expected to exercise care and awareness while on site. By completing your ticket purchase, you—on behalf of yourself and your guests—assume full responsibility for any injuries, losses, or damages incurred during the event, and agree to release and hold harmless Wilder Frets, its artists, staff, volunteers, partners, and venue hosts from any and all claims or liabilities. By registering for this event, you also agree to receive important event updates and occasional communications from Wilder Frets and its partners.

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Buy Tickets

September 15 at 5:30pm – Fort Stevens State Park – Hammond, OR

General Admission

Purchase early bird tickets for $50 per person when booked at least two weeks before the concert. Standard tickets, purchased within two weeks of the event, are $60 per person. Groups of four or more receive a discounted rate of $46.25 per person.

Fret Not Program

In alignment with our nonprofit mission, Wilder Frets’ Fret Not Program provides a limited number of complimentary and reduced-price tickets to ensure access for those who might not otherwise be able to attend. Donors may also pre-purchase 1-10+ Fret Not tickets to sponsor attendance for those in need. A $50 tax-deductible contribution enables one individual to experience a Wilder Frets concert at no cost. Please email info@wilderfrets.org to request or donate a Fret Not ticket.

Eligibility at this site:

• Individuals and families with Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards
  (Valid EBT card required at check-in)
• At-risk youth from tribal, rural and urban communities
• Single-parent households and foster families
• Homeless veterans, citizens, immigrants and refugees

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Donations (Admission Not Included)

Support our mission to bring classical guitar concerts into remote wilderness areas across the Pacific Northwest by making a tax-deductible donation for the charitable purposes of “Wilder Frets: Classical Guitar in the Wilderness” through our fiscal sponsor, Fractured Atlas (a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts service organization) by clicking the link below:

Wilder Frets: Classical Guitar in the Wilderness | Fractured Atlas Profile

You may also make non-deductible contributions or monetary gifts using the form below. Individuals can give up to $19,000 annually without triggering IRS reporting or gift tax requirements. These gifts go directly to support Tye Austin’s living expenses and assist in reducing approximately $230,000 in student loan debt, helping sustain his artistic work and ongoing music career.

More questions? Contact info@wilderfrets.org