There is a special feeling when you step into the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida. Known for its unspoiled forests of 100 year old Spanish moss-covered oak trees, the rushing wild blackwater banks of the Suwannee River and the vast meadows which have served as homebase to numerous festivals of both music and nature aficionados alike- there is undoubtedly an essence that floats in those 800+ acres of land that transcend both time and space.
And if you’re just lucky enough- you get to visit the park during Suwannee Hulaween.
Adventure, mystery, surprise- it’s all the basis when it comes to the four-day music festival held Halloween weekend since its start in 2013. It is easy to speak about the magic that Hula is… but to witness it firsthand is nothing short of enamoring. With artistic enchantment, riveting musical escapades, and full-on theatrical performance, Hulaween has set the bar high on festival production expectations. Eccentric art is around every corner in the highly decorated Spirit Lake, belly laughs from crews dressed in group costumes echo throughout the campsites, and music soars above the trees from the numerous stages into the clear blue Florida sky.
Thursday
A breath of fresh air; a release of tension. Sliding into your neighbors, melting into each other. Dancing for a reason. If you were able to catch LP Giobbi at Spirit Lake on Thursday.. you know this was the ultimate vibe. The crowd turned into a collective unit as she gave it her all. LP is the perfect blend of soft and hard; her music is a collaboration of easy breezy and tough-as-nails get down. Each individual in attendance was beaming with smiles as she danced between her deck and keys. Her beautiful yellow dress flowed in the wind as it changed colors in the stage lights. It was a vision on the eyes and a treat to the ears. Her set showcased a mix of her groove disco stylings featuring “Dead House” remixes of the Grateful Dead and her newest album release, Dotr. She delivered what was undoubtedly the best dance party of the weekend.
Friday
The crowd was rail ready for String Cheese Incident, a long celebrated band of musicians that have continued to inspire and uplift for over 40 years. Cheese fans are some of the most dedicated in the scene, traveling far and wide to witness songs from their extensive catalog. SCI took on a nearly 4 hour slot at The Meadow, playing sought after gems like BollyMunster, Shine, and their rendition of Tom Petty’s You Wreck Me.
The second set opener of Grateful Dead’s Ripple was a sincere tease to what would be an epic Sunday show featuring Bob Weir. In light of the tragic news about the passing of Grateful Dead founding member Phil Lesh, it was an even more intimate performance to witness as we all celebrated his memory. A memorial headstone to Lesh lovingly grew over the weekend thanks to festival goers, a small but symbolic gesture to the emotional impact his music left on so many.
Saturday
If you have attended a music festival, you know Saturday is the ultimate stretch of the party. And boy, oh boy, did Hula deliver attendees the most epic weekend day of rage. It was a marathon, not a race, as the crowd geared up for back to back String Cheese Incident > Umphrey’s Mcgee > String Cheese Incident> Umphrey’s Mcgee > a special String Cheese Incident set. If you are familiar with Umphrey’s Mcgee you know they tend to bring the rock and grit to wherever they bless the stage.
It wasn’t the usual Hula rainbows and unicorns when they rolled up with visuals featuring Nosferatu creepily staring at the crowd from behind the band. “The Floor” during set 1 really brought the haunted vibes and got the juices flowing and the crowd turned into a bunch of greasy animals during their rendition of “Controversy” by Prince.
With the unexpected cancellation of Tash Sultana, the festival producers made sure to make up for it by giving Sublime extended time for their late night set. Witnessing a collective group of 15,000 people sing every single word to every single song was nothing short of memorable.
Fronted by the late Bradley Nowell’s son Jakob, Sublime was a highlight of the weekend for many and will be talked about for years to come. Jakob’s charisma and stage presence was reminiscent of his father and Bradley is undoubtedly looking down with pride.
The captivating charm of Hulaween 2024 was the direct result of hard work, dedication, and determination from individuals who pushed for greatness when the universe was giving them the ultimate test. Between the planners, the builders, the do-ers and the seekers, it is nothing short of a miracle that the magic of Hula came to fruition for one of the best years yet. Hulaween had many elements playing against it, between dissipated time following the reacquisition of an almost canceled year in an already tenacious moment for festival production, and then the state of Florida being hit strongly with B2B hurricanes (thanks Helene & Milton) within the same month of the festival. But the ambition and commitment of each and every person made the 11th annual year go off with memories to last a lifetime. The crowds were in-sync, every band and DJ were on fire, the energetic vibes were soaring, and the spirit was unparalleled.
And if you’re just lucky enough- you’ll get to experience it all for yourself next year.
