CityFest has its successor, and it started out strong.
The first annual Druid City Arts Festival was met with high attendance Saturday, bringing multiple bands and artists to the former CityFest lot by day and bars across Tuscaloosa by night.
Beth Hataway, a senior majoring in interdisciplinary studies, said the event’s success was visible in both the numbers and on the scene.
“We brought out approximately 2,200 people, and all of the bands we hosted at night were packed,” Hataway said. “It went incredibly well.”
Hataway said not only did she want to bring back DCAF next year, but she also got support for another DCAF from attendees.
“We entirely plan on having this be an annual event,” Hataway said. “People were saying they wanted to see more of this. There was a lot of support and encouragement for this being a yearly event. As far as I know, it’s going to happen next year.”
Gabriela Muñoz, a senior majoring in international studies, French and Spanish, said in an e-mail she was impressed with DCAF. She said the only thing that might keep her from attending next year is her graduation in May.
“I think they did a really great job, especially for it being the first time,” Muñoz said. “I would love to see this grow into a University tradition, even if I won’t be here to enjoy it.”
Hataway was the Creative Campus intern who came up with the idea for DCAF. She said she liked how the combination of an outdoor daytime festival with indoor nightlife worked, and her inspiration came from Tuscaloosa and beyond.
“I had several discussions with people in Tuscaloosa how we felt there was momentum toward a festival featuring the art and music scenes,” Hataway said.
By day, the festival featured several local artists and musical acts ranging from the Alabama Blues Project’s advanced band to Alabama bands like Act of Congress, Sparrow and the Ghost and The Hypsys. By night, Creative Campus gave attendees access to live music at five bars for just one $5 cover charge. Hataway said she could not pick a favorite among the bands in attendance.
“I really enjoyed them all,” Hataway said. “I thought they all added something different to the festival.”
Muñoz said she only saw New Orleans based indie-rock/folk band The Blue Party in action, but she said she enjoyed the group’s performance. She said she also liked what the event did for the Tuscaloosa community and its entertainment scene.
“I liked that it was a great way to bring the students and other residents of Tuscaloosa to enjoy the local art,” Muñoz said. “I really liked that Creative Campus was able to make this a free event. I’m convinced that this will be able to flourish in the coming years.”
