A Columbus park will become a playground for music lovers this weekend. Here's where, what to know
Equal parts music festival and old school field day, the second annual Provida Fest is happening in Uptown’s Woodruff Park this weekend. For the second year in a row, it promises to merge Columbus’ indie music scene with the energy of a good ol’ fashioned school field day,
Brought to you by Provida Records and partnered with The Local Magazine, Lakewood Productions and Palette 8 Productions, the festival is the brainchild of Justin Fields, co-founder of Provida Records with his brother Jordan.
It will feature at least a dozen local musicians and some of the most well-known restaurants in town, as well as interactive games and activities reminiscent of your elementary school days.
A music fest and an old school field day
Fields said, in a press release to the Ledger, that he hopes it will be more than a music festival, but rather a “a movement powered by rhythm, resilience, and real connection.”
According to organizers, this year’s event promises to be a full-day “celebration” that includes classic field day competitions like the three-legged race and the egg toss. The energy is meant to feel like a community coming together for “a day of pure, unadulterated fun.”
Why Provida Fest? Why now?
Fields said the Provida Fest was created to unite Columbus’ diverse music scenes, breaking down genre silos and giving local talent a platform. Fields, who opened a Hamilton Road studio two years ago, hopes to give artists a fair, supportive space to grow.
He said he believes that, “ Music is so transformative and It’s so beautiful to see that we have that here in Columbus.” He envisions “Provida Fest is an attempt at bringing these [musical] communities together to have one big showcase of just all-around talent”.
Who’s performing?
The lineup features a cross-section of the Columbus music scene with a diverse roster of artists performing a good mix of genres.
One of the acts, The Rosehill Band, stopped by to have a chat to let us in on what to expect on the day. Band members Ivey Jones, Noah Herrera and Chandler Kelley will play together at 7:45, but not before giving the three-legged race a go.
Herrera will also play earlier in the day with Loft regulars, Sweet South Band, at 3:45, so he’s in for a full day of fun.
The lineup includes:
- 11:30 AM: TCRAZYO
- 12:15 PM: Luther Smalls & The Columbus Jazz Society
- 1:00 PM: Tomorrow’s Achiever
- 1:45 PM: Cigarette Girl
- 2:30 PM: AJ & The Zig Zags
- 3:15 PM: The Sweet South Band
- 4:00 PM: Alexx
- 4:45 PM: BIG REZ
- 5:30 PM: Tiise
- 6:15 PM: Timothy Rose
- 7:00 PM: Speakeasy
- 7:45 PM: The Rose Hill Band
- 8:30 PM: Castlist
- 9:15 PM: The Normas
What is there to eat?
Fest-goers can expect vendors and food trucks from across the areas, with a few local favorites to enjoy.
Epic Restaurant, Country’s Barbeque, and Icey Girl & Co. will be there to serve up their regular fare, but you should also look for a few other surprise food vendors.
And cute dogs too!
Making its Provida Fest debut, Paws Humane Society will have a tent featuring a lot of very good pups to pet. All the animals are available for adoption and you are encouraged to love on as many as you need to to find the right one.
What you need to know
It’s going to be fairly warm out there, so make sure you’re set up to have the best and safest time possible.
Pack your bags with:
- Sunscreen
- Reusable water bottle
- Waterproof shoes for the splash pad
- Chairs or blankets to sit on in the grass (and maybe even an umbrella or hat).
- Rain gear (just in case)
For more information visit ProvidaFest.com and to get tickets click here.
Did you attend last year’s Provida Fest at the Goetchius House? Email me your memories at srose@ledger-enquirer.com or find me on social media and find me on Saturday to say hi.