Hulaween Festival 2024: a weekend of Music, art, and Ghoulishly fun

This recent edition of Hulaween featured incredible performances, art installations, and curated events, creating a unique experience for all attendees.

The 2024 Hulaween Festival at Suwanee Music Park in Florida between October 24 and 27 was nothing short of exceptional. The 11th year of the festival was “Weir’d;” unforgettable and filled with memorable firsts that left attendees with full hearts and a desire to return year after year.

Making its debut at the festival, DEF (Define Everything Future) premiered its new 360-degree stage design, OFF LIMITS, at the Spirit Lake grounds. The 360-degree stage hosted surprise appearances from Ravenscoon, Eazybaked, Off The Trees, and Levity. Surprising festivalgoers on the last night of the festival, Chris Lake came in hot with a fire (pun intended) set at the stage playing tons of his new tracks from his project Anti-Up with Chris Lorenzo. The stage design incorporated multiple pyro-machines surrounding the stage for ample energy.

Attendees were also able to experience Tipper’s last festival appearance before he retires. Tipper performed for a vast audience of devoted fans and new followers on The Hallows stage last Friday night. In a sea of totems and bass music lovers, Dave Tipper capped his legacy with an electric set that kept the crowd moving and grooving from start to finish.

Despite the passing of his bandmate, Phil Lesh, Bobby Weir showed up to play the inaugural ‘The Bobby Weir Incident’ show with Hulaween Festival’s mainstay band The String Cheese Incident. One of these performances paid homage to the Grateful Dead, with the sound of “Fire On the Mountain” resonating throughout the festival and curating a spiritual moment for all. In honor of Phil Lesh, they created a headstone for him mid-festival and laid out offerings to one of the founding fathers of psychedelic jams throughout the weekend.

Additionally, the creators of Spirit Lake expertly designed what makes up the festival grounds. Led by artist Justin Bologino, he skillfully crafted a story for attendees to experience as one wandered around the lake, enchanted by the 40-plus art installations. In a haze over the lake, a curated 2-hour show played nightly, with visuals from organic matter under a microscope and a psychedelic soundtrack that enthralled participants like a moth to a flame.

The energy around the campground was mesmerizing, inviting, and pulsating. Old friends became better friends, festival friends became family, and a nightly appearance from the bats who call Suwanee home made for a spooky and delightful weekend of music, magic, and excitement. See you next year, Suwanee.