Fest 21 announces second wave of bands coming to town
A host of new bands were added to The Fest 21's lineup to play the weekend before Halloween.
The festival announced on social media pages Thursday the additions of Microwave, Crime in Stereo, Negative Approach, Into it. Over it., Pkew Pkew Pkew, Mikey Erg, Night Witch, Devon Kay and the Solutions and more.
The Fest is a three-day musical adventure throughout downtown Gainesville that features roughly 350 bands, comedians and wrestlers. The event, scheduled for Oct. 27-29, is always held on the same week the Florida Gators travel to Jacksonville for its game with the Georgia Bulldogs, allowing room for thousands of people to travel in from all over the world.
The show is a staple in Gainesville's music scene, and one of the largest punk music festivals in Florida, showcasing a range of genres that include punk, indie, folk, ska and more.
This year marks the festival's 21th anniversary.
More: Punk finds a home — and a party — in Gainesville
Who all is playing?
In April, the festival announced most of its lineup with bands from across the country that don't always make it to Florida, let alone Gainesville.
The bill includes Thursday, playing two sets, including the album "War All the Time" in full. Punk rock legends the Descendents and the Gainesville-based Less Than Jake will also headline. Less Than Jake will also play two sets, including "Hello Rockview" in full for the album's 25th anniversary.
Against Me! frontwoman Laura Jane Grace, Gwar, Lucero, Tim Barry, Quicksand, Strike Anywherem the Smoking Popes, Wonder Years and Gorilla Biscuits are also among the big names joining the fun.
Notable Gainesville favorites scheduled to play include Dikembe, No More, Jer, You Vandal, Articles, Cursed Birth, Confession Kids and a host of others.
You can stay up to date with the lineup on the festival's social media pages.
Need a ticket?
Weekend passes for the three-day festival have already sold out in record time. Individual showcase tickets will go on sale July 15. Volunteer opportunities are available to earn a weekend pass. For information, visit thefestfl.com.
The festival will also announce its comedy lineup on July 16.
Hotel reservations
The Fest is partnering with five local hotels for the weekend and offering reservations through its website. Those availabilities are limited and quickly running out of space.
The hotels are Best Western Gateway Grand Hotel, Hampton Inn & Suites, Holiday Inn, Comfort Suites and Aloft- Gainesville's Newest Marriott.
What else does The Fest offer?
With thousands of people flocking to Alachua County −some traveling internationally − The Fest offers a significant local economy boost for a variety of businesses. The local sale tax means more money will go into the Wild Space and Public Places fund, which supports local parks, renovations and conservation land.
For those arriving early, The Fest will host a kick-off party on Oct. 26 at Bo Diddley Plaza. The $20 event is a blind-ticket surprise and is expected to sell out. The lineup will be announced July 15.
For more information on all Fest-related details, including frequently asked questions, visit thefestfl.com.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gainesville's punk rock festival Fest 21 adds more bands to lineup
