Raw States
The Fest
Gainesville, FL · Music
- When
- October 23–25, 2026
- Where
- Bo Diddley Community Plaza, 111 E University Ave · Gainesville · FL
- Cost
- Not confirmed
- Status
- Confirmed from the organizer's published schedule
A three-day punk, indie and hardcore festival spread across 13-plus downtown Gainesville venues, now in its 24th year and one of the longest-running independent music festivals in the country. The bill mixes legacy punk acts with comedy and pro wrestling, and it draws thousands of touring fans for a weekend that takes over downtown.
The history within reach
- The Festsame spot
A three-day punk, indie and hardcore festival spread across 13-plus downtown Gainesville venues, now in its 24th year and one of the longest-running independent music festivals in the country.
- Downtown Festival & Art Showsame spot
A juried fine art show ranked among the top in the country, with 200-plus artists competing for over $17,000 in prize money and four stages of live music.
- Don't tase me, bro1.1 mi
On September 17, 2007, at a Constitution Day forum with John Kerry, a fourth-year student named Andrew Meyer was allowed a question after the session closed, asked about Skull and Bones, was pulled from the microphone, and was held down by six university police officers and drive-stunned with a taser while shouting the line the clip is known for.
A University of Florida kidney specialist named Robert Cade mixed water, salt, sugar and lemon juice in 1965 to answer a football coach's question about why his players never needed to urinate.
In August 1990 Danny Rolling murdered five students in Gainesville over four days: Sonja Larson, Christina Powell, Christa Hoyt, Manuel Taboada and Tracy Paules.