Annual punk and alternative music festival rocks Halloween weekend
Lurking just around the corner is the return of FEST, an independent, underground music festival held right here in downtown Gainesville.
For one weekend only, the college town shapeshifts into a soundstage. The low rumble of bass guitars and beating drums seep from every venue and spill into the streets. The asphalt quakes beneath the seism of Doc Martens for a three-day binge of Miller High Life and punk, metal, indie, alternative music and everything in between.
From humble beginnings with 60 bands and four venues, FEST now hosts nearly 300 bands performing at 18 stages and venues across downtown. Bands and FEST-goers flock here from around the world, most notably from the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and Canada.
The main stage is set up at Bo Diddly Plaza, but that is far from the only star of the show. Many bars and venues around town host some of the most memorable viewing points, reminiscent of the intimacy of a small, smokey New York club or garage band jam sesh.
In addition to the music scene, FEST also attracts a caravan of wrestling fanatics fraught with adrenaline and allegiance to FEST. We Are Family, a professional wrestling event showcasing independent wrestlers, comes to Knockin’ Boots Saloon on Saturday, Oct. 30.
Attendees can also find quite the spread of comedians performing at the FEST Comedy Showcase on Saturday, Oct. 30 at the Hippodrome.
This annual congregation has taken place every year since 2002, but it was put on hold in 2020 with the surge of a global pandemic. FEST returns this year seeking vengeance on time lost.
For the safety of punks everywhere, a negative COVID-19 test or a full COVID-19 vaccination card will be required to attend any FEST 19 shows or events. FEST 19 three-day passes are still available for a limited time.
Here is to the reemergence of FEST 19 and the wild revelry that follows in its wake.
By Madison Rae