Time for The Purple Hatter's Ball

We Honor Rachel Morningstar Hoffman

The mah-velous Purple Hatter’s Ball happens this VERY weekend --May 8-10-- at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fl. with a pre-party starting at 6 p.m. tonight. This is an intimate, dance-y fest held annually to honor music fester Rachel Morningstar Hoffman (she of the fuzzy purple hat,) who left this earth way too soon.

Expect a young-ish crowd and some new bands for discovery. You’ll see funk, world-beat, soul, reggae, dub, electronica, bluegrass, jazz and jam on four different stages, including a stage out at the lovely Suwanee river beach.

Nahko and Medicine for The People

Three-day weekend tickets, which include primitive camping, are $140. Tickets to the Thursday night pre party, which features Elephant Revival, Space Capone, DubConscious, Mouth, Cure For The Common, and El Dub, are $50.

Here is a look at this year’s Purple Hatter’s Ball lineup:

Lotus
Nahko and Medicine For the People
Alex Grey & Allyson Grey
Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaries
Toubab Krewe
The Werks
Random Rab
Roosevelt Collier's Suwannee Jam
Adrian Crutchfield and the Extraordinary Gentlemen
DubConscious
Greenhouse Lounge
TAUK
The Malah
Catfish Alliance
Benyoro
Mingo Fishtrap
Raja Kassis' Humanbeing
Kansas Bible Company
Cadillac Jones
Grandpa's Cough Medicine
Mouth
Cure For The Common
Trial By Stone
Empire Strikes Brass
Les Racquet
Shak Nasti
MZG
Scott Campbell Band w/ Avis Berry
SuperMande Jam
Parker Urban Band
New Earth Army
Future Vintage
The Galbraith Group
Lucky Costello
Sex Manatee’s Basshole
Aaron Lebos Reality
Daria & The Hip Drops
Firewater Tent Revival
Lava
Tambor
Bells and Robes
Flat land
Grit
Ruby & Friends
Vlad the Inhaler
Sir Charles
Zak the Blak
Ben Danner
Combustible
bleek 'n coy.
Charlie Hustle
Cry Havoc
Chews
Ardency
Brother Dan

You can check out the schedule here.

festgrrl highly recommends this laid-back, sweet fest. Rachel was a sweet girl who was murdered by thugs because of wrong-headed public policy and incompetent authorities who put her in harm's way, promised to protect her, and didn't. Her parents fought for statewide changes in the law to try to prevent another senseless tragedy.Make sure you make it to the special ceremony at 6 p.m. on Saturday in the ampitheater, where Rachel's family and friends honor her in a beautiful butterfly release ceremony.