AthFest

Where can you find music, films, food, comedy, art and activities for the whole family all in one place? The answer to this is Athfest.

“AthFest is amazing, I will pretty much be living there," said thirteen year old Katie Elliote- Gower, who is going into the eighth grade at Clarke Middle School.

“It’s awesome,” said Addie McClure, who is also a thirteen year old rising eighth grader at Clarke Middle School.

Director Jared Bailey said, “We created AthFest 14 years ago with the idea of promoting music and arts in Athens with the bigger emphasizes in music.” The 14th annual AthFest began Wednesday and ends Sunday. It started off with a bang with locally made films that started at five on Wednesday.

Over 160 bands will be performing at in various clubs and on outdoor stages. Today alone, around 50 bands will be performing. You can expect to see bands like Modern Skirts, Packway Handle Band, Perpetual Groove, Bubba Sparxxx, Cracker, and Kinchafoonee Cowboys performing to name a few. When comes to genres Bailey says, “We try to include a little bit of everything.” They sure do they have Rock, Alternative, Bluegrass, Americana, Pop, and much more. Many of the bands are performing at various bars and clubs, the one we can get into is called Nuci’s Space. Tomorrow night, when this venue opens, the following will perform: Lauren Lieu at nine, Henry Barbe at nine thirty, Connelly Crowe at ten, and Second Suns at eleven.

The performances outside are free. However, in order to participate in some other events such as LaughFest Comedy Showcase, the 2010 Flagpole Athens Music Awards Show, the Cine AthFest Films, and Nuci’s Space you must pay money. For Nuci’s Space you must have a wristband to enter. Wristbands are available for $20 at the entrance. Having a wristband also gives you discounted admission for the rest of the events you must pay for.

Music isn’t the only thing this festival holds. It has a lineup of mini film festivals such as AthFest Music and Video Show, Rock Docs, Athens Picture Show, and TeenScreen Film Fest. Today starting at five at Cine you can see the films The Doors: When You’re Strange, Of Montreal: Family Nouveau, Flagpole Athens Music Awards Show, Shorts Program, The Runaways, and AthFest Kickoff Party. An event that can’t be missed is the TeenScreen FilmFest. This lineup of films is created by local teenage artists, something we as teenagers cannot miss!

You won’t find any typical venders at AthFest. This is because AthFest is all about supporting the community. You can find great vendors from local restaurants. On the shopping side why not browse the 45 booths from artists from the southeast at AthFest. There is an assortment of paintings, glass art, photography, woodcarving, sculpture, fabric, jewelry, ceramics, and so much more.

You’ll be missing out if you don’t go to AthFest. So come to Athfest and enjoy the food, films, shopping, and music.