As a current resident of Jacksonville, Florida, one of the aspects of the Purple Hatter’s Ball Music Festival that I love the most is its unwavering loyalty to the artists living in the surrounding areas. This May 8th – 10th the Purple Hatter’s Ball lineup is set to feature just as many local artists as always, reinforcing the family and community feel of The Spirit of Suwannee Music Park that so many patrons have come to know and love. Representing the home front of Northern Florida will be Jacksonville’s Greenhouse Lounge, Ardency, LAVA, and Lucky Costello.
While Purple Hatter’s never fails to weed-out the best in local talent this doesn’t make them slackers when it comes to bringing in well-known names such as Lotus, Random Rab and Alex Grey. Yes, I said Alex Grey. The artistic visionary will be executing live painting alongside his wife Allyson Grey and many more artists for the first time at Purple Hatter’s Ball 2015. To say that the excitement over this addition to the festival is palpable would be an understatement.
For those who want to spend as much time experiencing “Suwannee” and Purple Hatter’s as possible, the festival will host a Thursday night pre-party during which two stages will be open and featuring a total of 7 different musical acts. Friday will kick things off with the opening of two more stages and music from noon all the way until the end of the infamous Suwannee Silent Disco at 5am.
Maybe you prefer taking it easy, laying in a hammock at the amphitheater stage and listening to some soothing sounds. Or perhaps you were made for the energy of the crowd and the thrill of the night. Either way, Purple Hatter’s Ball and The Spirit of the Suwannee will be there for you as it always has been, and hopefully, as it always will be. One thing is for certain, as always; Purple Hatter’s Ball is dedicated to the loving memory of Rachel Morningstar Hoffman.