Fest Survey Findings
Nicole Introvert has patiently interviewed many artists playing FEST 24 and she's assembled this summary of her findings.
Things people going to Fest 24 are excited for:
Let’s get the bands out of the way who were repeats in our responses - Small Brown Bike and Texas is the Reason. Sunday morning’s Bo Diddley line up with Dead Bars, Rodeo Boys, and Nobro. Most everyone wants to just hang out with their friends and bask in the glow of the community Fest is known for.
Advice for those new to Fest - or for new advice for the old at Fest:
The overarching theme of survey responses boil down to - take care of yourself. Bring sunscreen, drink water, pace yourself. Be open to trying out new bands and styles of music. Remember you are never alone at Fest. There are good people everywhere and you should strike up conversation. You can always ask what the person is most excited for!
If you have PLAYED Fest - advice for new bands playing Fest.
Just about every bit of advice coming from bands to bands is about being punctual. Show up on time. Be kind to the volunteers. Practice your set ahead of time down to the second. “Zero fuck around time,” from James Gaylat is solid mantra to take with you. Be mindful of your alcohol prior to your set and Mason reminds you to save your voice, especially for Sunday sets!
Things people bring to Fest but are leaving home this year:
Most of the folks responding spoke to the many clothing items brought that they never use. For the daring who can wear a fresh printed shirt - just buy t-shirts as you go. Some are leaving the jeans and long pants behind. On another level - we’re going to leave behind stress over missing bands and changed plans.
Favorite merch obtained at Fest. (band or vendor):
Tattoos (shoutout Anthem and Wunderland!) Koozies - especially from Nah Dogs. There are some disagreements on who has the softest hoodies purchased at Fest - Is it Fest? Or are Casket Lottery, Descendents, and American Steel the coziest? Some of the more unique items were playing cards from Joker’s Republic, a FEST lights pin from Feed The Scene, a tea towel from Masked Intruder, and foam fingers from both One Reason and Banquets.
Speaking of tattoos as souvenirs:
There are a lot of Stressface and variants of. We also have bird collectors who add one more each year for the migration to Gainesville. We’ve also marked ourselves with Fest band inspired work - Avail/Tim Barry, Bouncing Souls, Jawbreaker and Toys The Kill on our respondents. The Gainesville shops also provide a lot of great animal faves like, flamingos, manatees, flies, turtles, and alligators.
What do you eat in Gainesville?
Guava cheese pastries from Flaccos, pizza slices from 5 Star, Nah Dogs vegan dogs, a variety of tortilla-to-mouth options at Boca Fiesta, the Loosey’s burgers are popular as is peanut butter pie from The Top.
What to do if not Festing in Gainesville during Fest:
Sober Fester meetups and Trinket Fest are both adjacent community activities. Friends of the Alachua County Book Sale is a big recommendation along with taking advantage of the nature preserves and other outdoor activities. Resting and people watching are popular activities for the Fester who needs to slow it down. For the athletes there is a climbing gym called The Knot, disc golf, and a lot of cycling. Record shopping is always a blast if you haven’t purchased enough special edition vinyl from Fest bands.
What folks want to bring home from Fest 24:
- 1000 new friends.
- Records.
- Shirts.
- Memories.
- Enough renewed spirit until next Fest.
- Tattoos.
- Merch that isn’t shirts.
- Setlists.
- Myself.
