Another glorious Purple Hatter’s Ball has come and gone, and I don’t think we could have hoped for a better outcome commemorating the festival’s 8th installment. For the first time in a few years the infamous Suwannee Beach in Live Oak, Florida was back in action with the water low enough for tubes, kayaks and swimmers alike. “Rachel’s Beach Stage” was also in full swing, providing beats from many local North Florida talents such as Ben Danner and Bleek N’ Coy from Tallahassee and Sir Charles and Vlad the Inhaler from Jacksonville.
Most occurrences that would be considered extraordinarily unordinary in every day life are the ordinary here at the Purple Hatter’s Ball inside The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park. From people offering help or supplies to complete strangers that often turn into long-time friends, to dedicated patrons wearing all purple themed outfits to honor Rachel Morningstar Hoffman’s memory and the handcrafted art installations that frequent many of the campsites, this festival boasts a family feel unique to any other I have ever experienced. I truly believe this is because of the array of foundations and circumstances upon which this festival has been built.
Maybe some of you know the story, maybe some of you don’t. The abridged version reads something like this: Rachel Morningstar Hoffman was a 23-year-old Florida State University graduate who was murdered while acting as a police informant during a drug sting in May of 2008. Her tragedy inspired the creation of Rachel’s Law, a law that went into effect on July 1st of 2009 and established new guidelines for law enforcement when dealing with confidential informants.
The Rachel Morningstar Foundation now focuses on educating the public on the current use of and the risks for confidential informants. Many of the people involved in putting together Purple Hatter’s Ball each year personally knew Rachel and her family. She was friends with the local musicians and was known for the furry purple hat that she often wore to music festivals and gave her legacy its name.
It seemed that Nahko and Medicine for the People on the amphitheater stage (my personal favorite at Suwannee because you just can’t beat hammocks and live art!) was a major highlight of Friday night for many people including myself.
The Malah who also played Friday night over in the open-spaced atmosphere of the Porch Stage, which they have frequented many times at numerous Suwannee music festivals, provided another of the beautiful and soulful sets that I have come to expect from them.
Saturday was chalked full of amazing music, but for me, as is the same for many I am sure, Lotus was a shining beam of light. I think the fact that they played their rendition of “This Must be the Place” by the Talking Heads, as their encore song was the best thing I experienced all weekend. Everywhere I looked people were dancing and twirling around me wearing sporting grins that stretched ear to ear, as they sang along to every line.
Purple Hatter’s Ball is an experience that is rare to most, but very common those who frequent Suwannee. In a place like that, where the air feels like it’s thick with magic, it’s impossible to be anything but happy. If you’ve yet to experience the magic for yourself, make it a point to come support the memory of Rachel Morningstar Hoffman during the ninth chapter of this noble celebration at Purple Hatter’s Ball 2016.