Abandon hope all ye who enter here, Suwannee Hulaween. photo by Jason Nail
“I would like, if I may, to take you on a strange journey.”
They speak of it from the dark forests of Rothbury to the slanted slopes of Montage Mountain. Hushed whispers emerge from the vibrating heat of Manchester to the pine burrows of Horning’s Hideout. It is the hallowed tale of Hulaween and something very special is about to happen in the boughs of north Florida. It’s what you’ve come to expect from October in Suwannee. An eclectic, diverse musical lineup that blends seamlessly with the patchwork of artists, merchants, and freaks of every conceivable ilk. Welcome to the land that time forgot. The prophecy has been foretold and it’s exactly what you’ve been waiting for. Prepare thyself for Hulaween “22: The Suwannee Horror Disco Show Commeth.
This is a celebration that manages to bring out the best in everyone. It’s time for the ego death. Since the days of the Shawsvegas Mafia to each String Cheese Saturday night set the mountain has come to Mohammed. It’s a Sunday frisbee session before the slow stroll to the river. It’s both a marathon and a sprint so substitute dirt for ice in your bloody mary and point your bow straight down into the funk hole. All roads lead to the get down.
New additions join headliners The String Cheese Incident (3 nights), JID, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, CloZee, and more stage takeovers hosted by Liquid Stranger’s Wakaan, Desert Hearts, and LP Giobbi’s Femme House.
Thursday, October 27 – Sunday, October 30 at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida. Suwannee Hulaween has added 25 new artists to its already star-studded, cross-genre lineup. The festival’s ninth edition is returning home to the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park.
Music Lives Here.
This is the alpha and the omega. It’s the beginning and the ouroboros of the Florida festival season which by all standards, never really takes a break. You’ve heard the stories. What’s all the fuss about? Now come find out for yourself. The train is departing. Don’t get left on the platform. This is your best chance to find out how silly fun this life can actually be.
“You’re lucky. He’s lucky. I’m lucky! We’re all lucky!”
New headliners include Grammy-nominated producer TOKiMONSTA, celebrated Grateful Dead cover band Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, and Jumpsuit Records boss The Polish Ambassador. The festival’s other new additions include genre-blending psychedelic funk outfit Diggin Dirt and indie band Little Bird, amongst many others.
They join a bevy of artists from across the genre spectrum, including three nights from alternative rock/indie band Rainbow Kitten Surprise and Dreamville-signee and Atlanta rapper JID for their Hulaween debuts, and festival veterans such as French electronic trailblazer CloZee, Portland’s award-winning Portugal, The Man, fan-favorite psychedelic band STS9, Grammy-nominated producer FISHER, electronic pop duo Sylvan Esso, prestigious jam-band The Disco Biscuits, three nights of festival founders The String Cheese Incident, and more.
Festival attendees will enjoy electric sets from the likes of Gigantic NGHTMRE (duo set form Big Gigantic and NGHTMRE), Gorgon City, Cory Wong, Elohim, Jauz, Leftover Salmon, Lettuce, Opiuo, A Hundred Drums, Of The Trees, Franc Moody, Lawrence, Manic Focus, Lewis Del Mar, Margo Price, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Neil Frances, Twiddle, Two Feet and more.
“It’s not easy having a good time! Even smiling makes my face ache.”
Hulaween will also welcome tastemaking electronic music collectives to curate their own debut festival takeovers, including bass purveyor Liquid Stranger’s Wakaan, underground party-starters Desert Hearts, and house maestro LP Giobbi’s Femme House.
Since its inception in 2013, the Halloween-themed music, arts and camping festival has evolved into one of the country’s most coveted cross-genre affairs. Curating dynamic lineups that range from electronic, jam, and indie to bluegrass, funk, soul and hip-hop, Suwannee Hulaween’s ability to abolish genre confines is evident year after year.
“Don’t get strung out by the way I look. Don’t judge a book by its cover.
I’m not much of a man by the light of day, But by night I’m one hell of a lover!”
Over the course of the past decade, Suwannee Hulaween has hosted artists from all corners of the dance floor at the Spirit of the Suwannee’s idyllic grounds, which serves as perfect setting for attendees to fully immerse themselves in Florida’s lush, enchanting nature. Don’t deny yourself the prefun of Wednesday night and the groundscore celebrations of Monday afternoon. Hulaween is an entire universe of fun which can best be enjoyed by way of a slow, deliberate lope.
Spirit Lake
Heralded as one of the leading immersive art experiences across American festivals, the space is brimming with talented sculptors, fire/metal workers, painters, thespians, and lighting designers. Attendees can revel in lakefront projection mapping, hypnotizing light shows, interactive installations, and both visual and performance art, catch performances at Spirit Lake’s two stages, and groove into sunrise at the Silent Disco.
“Can’t you just see it? Don’t dream it, be it.”
Hulaween occurs in concert with one of the greatest camping/music venues in the Orion Cluster. The Spirit of Suwannee Music Park and Campground is an 800-acre slice of heaven located on the historic banks of the Suwannee River. Take a stroll along this beautiful cypress tree lined piece of North Florida. With miles of trails, hiking, bicycling, and golf cart rides are one of the many great ways to see the Florida outdoors.
wook wranglers HQ
Find Kamp Happiness Hobo Kamp near The Cheese. Love. Sauce. camp. Close to Luke’s Pond and the Poncho Tree, this is where it all began. What was then just a pile of nameless wooks sleeping under tarps has grown into an army of nameless wooks sleeping under tarps. The wrangler summer trail wound from Summer Camp to Mountain Music Festival. Bonnaroo to Electric Forest. Peach to 4848. FloydFest and beyond. After one more mountain stop with Major Malfunktion the road leads back to Suwannee and the Florida winter. Follow the trail south for one more ride and remember, you can’t save the world handcuffed to a golf cart.
Visit the Hulaween website and like their social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Welcome to the future yo.
Check out some of these submissions to the wrangler Hulaween archives. Cheese. Love. Sauce. and The Kamp Ha-Penis Dumpster Fire. Visit the Kamp Happiness Interactive Halloween Adventure in the shade near Cheese. Love. Sauce., the Bat house and the Bird Sanctuary. Join in for free face painting, tick checks and acoustic family jam around the fire. The portal is open for business.
You going to be at lost lands? Would love to meet up with you again! Maybe sterno mike too!
Headed to Rolling Loud in NY next weekend. Mason will be at LL. Have fun you kids.