Bloomingtonfest

Bloomingtonfest offers up a weekend when no one can grumble: "There is nothing to do."\nThe fest ' now in its third year ' brings in bands and musicians from all over the country and provides an entire weekend experience. \nSteve Duginske put together the entire festival, which emphasizes community, especially local businesses and restaurants and encourages people to walk and bike instead of drive. \nBands from as far as New York and Minnesota are playing this year. Many of the bands playing have never played Bloomingtonfest before, and Nymb from Illinois and Small Brown Bike from Michigan are a few of the bands returning this year.\n"We made so many new friends (last year) and everyone seemed to have a really great time. It's such a cool thing to see in a town the size of Bloomington," Mike Reed of Small Brown Bike says. "The diversity of all of the bands was really cool. Not everyone sounded alike, but people were still interested in checking out all of the music. We all really enjoyed all of the food too."\nMembers of Small Brown Bike are excited about playing with all the bands, including Cursive, Keleton DMD and The Casket Lottery. Like members of Small Brown Bike, most people have at least one band they look forward to seeing, including Duginske. \n"We are so lucky to have Low playing," Duginske says of the Minnesota band. \nAnd the feeling of good fortune is mutual. \n"The people putting Bloomingtonfest together seem to be more into the music than the money, which is refreshing," says Alan Sparhawk from Low. \n"It's such a fun weekend because … we get a chance to show tons of people from out of town what a cool town (Bloomington) is," says Ali Haimson from the Sissies, who is playing Bloomingtonfest again this year. \nThree in the Attic is also returning to play again for the third year, because they've had good experiences at the fest in the past.\n"There were people and bands from all over the place," says Nick Iverson from Three in the Attic, about last year's Bloomingtonfest. "It was good to see independent music flourish like it did." \nBloomington's Secretly Canadian and Jagjaguwar records also play a big part in this year's Bloomingtonfest. Friday and Saturday, they will be showcasing the bands on their label at the John Waldron Arts Center. \nComing up on the labels' fourth anniversaries, Bloomingtonfest is also a way for them to celebrate their success. Between Secretly Canadian and Jagjaguwar's bands and all the other bands and artists, there will be more than 35 groups featured at Bloomingtonfest.\n"I think that with all these venues it will be a lot like a carnival," says Chris Swanson of Secretly Canadian records. "We're hoping a lot of college students will come out and we'll get the community together." \nThe fest will take place mostly at Rhino's and the Waldron, but True Skateboards, Secret Sailor and All Ears will also be putting on shows. At Secret Sailor, the Lost Film Festival will be showing movies. In addition, there will be a vegan potluck at Bryan Park.\nIverson applauds the fest for featuring newer, cutting edge bands, and great older bands that aren't as well-known. \n"The diversity of music and being a part of something that is bigger than just a night out on the town draws people to Bloomingtonfest. There is a tremendous sense of camaraderie," says Iverson. \nBloomingtonfest will be a chance for fans to meet fans, bands to meet bands, fans to meet bands. People can just hang out and see what Bloomington has to offer. \nDuginske encourages people to take Bloomington in as much as possible and to check out local businesses.\n"We have always loved Bloomington, especially the music and the people involved in it. We consider it an honor to be involved," says Johnathan Ford from Unwed Sailor, an Illinois-based band. "I expect the weekend to be like a big family reunion"