Gainesville is perhaps best known as the home of the University of Florida. It is also one of the unofficial punk rock capitals of the world.
If residents aren’t familiar with the city’s rich punk rock history, Fest 23 is a great place to start.
The Fest, an independent three-day, multi-venue underground music festival held annually in Gainesville since 2002 features over 350 bands, comedians and professional wrestling.
With its 23rd iteration starting Oct. 24, several Fest headliners include popular ska and punk music groups Propagandhi, Dillinger Four and Jeff Rosenstock. Gainesville music legend Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! fame, will also bring her latest band, Laura Jane Grace & The Mississippi Medicals, to town.
City Commissioner Bryan Eastman said on his TikTok account that more than 10,000 punk fans from around the world come to experience downtown Gainesville’s chaotic, energetic, DIY festival.
“It’s more than just a music festival, its DIY setup woven into the fabric of downtown turns it into a massive boost for the local spots that make Gainesville Gainesville,” Eastman wrote in his post. “It helps shape who we are as a city: independent, creative, a little weird, supporting the businesses and history we love here year round.”
Visit Gainesville/Alachua County, the county’s tourism sales and marketing arm, estimated The Fest’s attendees annually generate around $3.2 million in direct spending, and an additional economic impact of $5 million, according to a Sun article in 2024. Additionally, Alachua County for the past eight years has contributed $150,000 in bed tax dollars — funds from visitors — to the music festival.
Gainesville-based band Dikembe is scheduled to play at Heartwood Stage as part of Fest on Oct. 25. Formed in 2010 and named after the “late, great” NBA Hall of Fame center Dikembe Mutombo, bass player Randy Reddell sent a text message to The Sun on Oct. 22, saying he first came to Gainesville in 2007 for Fest 6 after his friend’s band came for Fest 5. A few months later, he moved down and fell in love with the festival.
“I started volunteering for Fest and eventually became staff and now 18 years later I’m still working for Fest!” Reddell said.
Long Island, New York, acoustic punk duo Bitters and Distractions will be traveling to Fest for the first time via plane.
Bitters and Distractions member Travis Johnides spoke to The Sun on Oct. 20 and said a lot of coordination and scheduling affected both members to play in The Fest, but that it was well worth the work. Johnides said it’ll be nice to see the festival and catch sets from fellow bands like Tsunami Bomb instead of relying on clips from YouTube and Instagram.
“It’s one of the festivals I’ve always wanted to go to. I’ve played Warped Tour and South by Southwest, but I’ve never been to Fest,” Johnides said.
Bitters and Distractions will be playing at The Bull on Oct. 26. For the complete Fest lineup, visit thefestfl.com.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Punk rock community to take over downtown Gainesville as part of
Fest 23 this weekend
Reporting by Elliot Tritto, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
