Photos from What? Music and Arts Festival
In search of a new bass music and arts festival to attend that benefits the local community as well? Well you have come to the right place! What? Music and Arts Festival is back for its second year on July 27th in Columbus, Ohio, and will be one that you won’t want to miss.
The one-day festival will be taking place in Columbus’ maker culture and independent art scene, Franklinton, at 400 West Rich. The venue serves as a dynamic, multi-functional arts complex where the creative class can meet, network, collaborate, brainstorm, and do what they do best—create.
What? Music and Arts Festival will feature 150 artists through live paintings, art galleries, performing arts, and interactive experiences that encourage play, thought, and wonderment. Additionally, festival attendees can participate in educational workshops and activities, enjoy food and culture, and shop from local vendors that will spark a day and night full of curiosity and creativity.
Headliners include underground bass, house, funk, techno, and experimental leaders: Yheti, Shooka kLL sMTH, Daily Bread, Chris Karns, Wreckno, Tron, Slave, Yacht Club., Fear and Lowe, and many more who will be performing on an outdoor stage throughout the festival. There will also be a handful of rock and jam bands playing on a stage inside the art gallery exhibits including: Electric Orange Peel, Mungbean, Barefuzz, and many others in addition to an unannounced special guest performance!
The festival started as a passion project for a core group of Columbus artists and their supportive networks. The creative minds questioned WHAT they could create in Columbus that would inspire collaboration, disrupt the ways other thinks about events, and ultimately, that would create a positive impact on the community. From there, What? Music and Arts Festival was born.
If one day of the festivities is not enough, What? will have a pre-party event at a local Columbus bar, TRISM, on July 26th, featuring Thriftworks, Mystic Grizzly, Mize, and Supertask. The day following the festival, on July 28th, the team will be hosting a free community event at Land Grant Brewery in Columbus with live electronic and reggae music from Headcleaner, Dougie Simpson and the Faith Band, Devils Lettuce, Jxhlani, and School of Rock.
What? will also be hosting a Jam Session release party at Endeavor Brewing in Columbus on July 14th. The team has partnered with Endeavor Brewer Company to bring a fresh, flavorful beer to the summer’s festival, with the label of the can designed by a local Columbus artist.
A share of the proceeds from all of these events will go to The Brightside Foundation, a local Columbus nonprofit focused on prevention and mental health awareness, as well as the the Gladden Community House, another local Columbus nonprofit whose mission is to strengthen the wellbeing of Franklinton’s children, families, and community, and build a thriving, equitable neighborhood. The festival team is also working with community partners at the Franklinton Prep Academy and the Franklinton Board of Trade.
Make sure to buy your tickets here! You can only imagine WHAT you’re about to get yourself into.
