The Dairy Barn saw an unusually groovy weekend as music lovers from all over Athens came out Saturday for the first ever Groove Street Festival.
“For it being the first year, I think it was a huge success,” said Jack Gould, a senior studying media management and one of the event’s founders. “I think everyone had a great time.”
An estimated total of 750 people attended the event.
The festival started at noon with The Paul Elisha Band and continued throughout the day with a diverse line-up, including the funky grooves of MojoFlo and the electronic rock beats of Twenty One Pilots.
Unlike the spring fests, Groove Street did not allow attendees to bring their own alcohol. Beer was available for those of age.
“We went through about 10 kegs of beer, so people were able to drink but it managed not to get too rowdy,” Gould said. “We didn’t want it to end up like 8Fest where it’s a nightmare for us, but we still wanted everyone to have a great time.”
The crowd hardly seemed discouraged by the “no-BYOB” policy, dancing and occasionally singing along.
“I couldn’t contain my excitement,” said Matt Eroskey, a sophomore studying digital media. “The Pinstripes gathered a good crowd and Twenty One Pilots got everyone moving. It was phenomenal.”
Gould said the festival was able to break even financially, a fact he considers a huge success.
“Most things like this, people plan to actually lose money for the first three years. We didn’t really have that happen, which is a pretty big deal for the first year,” Gould said. “I hope to keep working on it for as long as I can, and I think by our fourth year it’ll be huge.”
Although he will be graduating in the spring, Gould said he plans to continue working on Groove Street, regardless of whether he stays in the area.
“I think this is different than anything else offered here. The only real comparison is 8Fest, but that brings a different crowd of people,” Gould said. “We’re more along the ‘jam festival’ kind of feel.”
Gould added that unlike other festivals in the area, Groove Street is one aimed at students with an emphasis on music more than anything else.
“The focus was always on the stage and it was purely about music,” he said. “I think the crowd felt the same way and appreciated that, and every single band was awesome.”
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