Fest 19 arrives in Gainesville with energy, excitement, punk rock and plenty of PBR

Stephany Matat
·2 min read

GAINESVILLE — The doors are back open for the Fest 19 punk music festival, and ticket sales opened at 12 p.m. Friday.

Last year, the event was held virtually throughout the year due to COVID-19 concerns and was postponed until this year, said Tony Weinbender, owner of the festival. He said he felt more comfortable hosting it this year now that vaccines are available, and about 97% of this year’s attendees are vaccinated and the rest have to show a proof of a COVID-19 test within the past three days.

It's back: Gainesville's Fest punk music festival is a go for Oct. 29-31

Anthony Verdi, left, stands in front of various pocket tees he made to sell during Fest 19.
Anthony Verdi, left, stands in front of various pocket tees he made to sell during Fest 19.

“I think our attendees are going to be looking out for each other similar to how it’s always been in the punk rock scene,” he said. “We kind of look at each other as a family, and so we take care of each other, so I feel like the biggest first step is everybody getting vaccinated and it helped a lot.”

The Fest first opened up in 2002, and since then it’s grown from having 60 bands to hosting about 400 performers. Weinbender said that this festival would have about 3,000 people all around town.

This year, the festival will take place for three days through Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

This year, it will be spread out through different venues around Gainesville so attendees can choose their experience. The venues include Bo Diddley Plaza, Heartwood Soundstage, Palomino, Knockin’ Boots Saloon, Downtown Fats, High Dive, the Wooly, Mother’s Pub, Fox Lounge, The Hippodrome, Boca Fiesta, Loosey’s and Vecinos.

Some bands in the lineup include Frank Turner, Gorilla Biscuits, The Menzingers and Good Riddance.

A line to claim passes for Fest 19 wraps around the Boxcar Beer and Wine Garden at Depot Park in Gainesville on Friday. The annual punk rock festival returned to town after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A line to claim passes for Fest 19 wraps around the Boxcar Beer and Wine Garden at Depot Park in Gainesville on Friday. The annual punk rock festival returned to town after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The line to pick up tickets, guidebooks, coasters, cuzies and shirts took up the entire sidewalk of Depot Park at noon Friday.

Nikki McRae of Atlanta, Georgia, and Maria Orovece of Brooklyn, New York, came to Fest together to celebrate its reopening. McRae has been to the festival for the past seven years and Orovece has been for the past four, and they met at Fest and decided to travel together this year.

“It’s become a lot about friends, seeing friends from far away with music in between,” McRae said. She said Facebook groups also have helped keep her connected with a lot of people she’s met at the past festivals.

Brooklyn Davis flew down from Iowa and was carrying her luggage up the steps when picking up her ticket. She said she felt confident with the protocols they put forth with requiring vaccination this year or a negative COVID-19 test.

“The fact that they’re asking people to wear masks or to be vaccinated is huge,” Davis said.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Fest 19 arrives in Gainesville with energy, music and plenty of PBR