Correction appended: A previous version of this story misstated the name of the festival. This has been corrected.
Over 60 performances. Designers, models, massage therapists, clowns and even puppeteers. Fashion. Film. Music.
From rainy Friday evening, through Saturday night lit by the full moon, until brunch on Sunday’s sunny afternoon, downtown Gainesville celebrated every crevice of its growing art scene.
Dion Dia and How Bazar threw the third Big: Culture & Arts Festival, drawing a bigger crowd than ever before. Hundreds of attendees came to see headliners like The Alchemist, MIKE, and Pink Siifu. Beyond musical acts, the weekend featured a fashion show, cabaret performances, a drive-in theater festival screening, a skateboarding contest, and a ‘wellness bubble’ to retreat for yoga, massage or acupuncture.
The organizers at Big describe the event on its website: “Big: Culture & Arts Festival combines street culture with a modern interpretation of ‘circus' — offering a healing rejuvenation for the scars of the past and a portal into the present soul.”
On Friday Night, Big hosted a free block party, though attendees would need to buy a ticket to enter How Bazar, Cafe Voltaire, or Loosey’s. Outside, dozens of vendors sold clothes, sweets, jewelry, and more.
Inside the breezeway, individual massage therapists offered free services to anyone who felt like sitting down.
Shane McNutt, an independent therapist, said he’d rather provide massages to people “whether they can pay or not. Almost every event I do is donation-based, because you have people out here who have never received massages,” he explained.
McNutt has been collaborating with Big’s co-organizer, Laila Fakhoury, for about three years to incorporate wellness into events like Big.
Saturday night was the center of the event, with festivities planned from 3 p.m. until well past midnight.
The fashion show featured dozens of mini-collections, one of which was designed by Noah Sams, aka @noahaaronsams on Instagram. Since blowing up on social media with over 110.7k followers on TikTok, he has designed for performers such as Kesha, Mirage of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and Chrissy Chlapecka. Sams returned to Gainesville for one last runway at BIG, closing the show with a design celebrating he and his collaborator’s Asian heritage.
Ravane Gueye submitted his application 20 minutes before the deadline but was still selected to model for @joshworld777, whose real name is Joshua Sullivan, on Instagram. The designer debuted his collection, “American Wasteland,” featuring denim patchwork and American symbols, which Gueye explained was a play on the event’s theme.
“The theme of Big circus, so, circus in the sense of our nation and the state where we’re at,” Gueye said. The majority of collections featured looks more clearly inspired by circus performers, but Gueye said that he found Joshworld’s take interesting.
“He took a different, political approach, making a statement with his work, which I really appreciated, and I was glad to be a part of it.
After the show, Gueye was free to enjoy the rest of the night, particularly the headliners.
“You know Mike's gonna be out there, The Alchemist is gonna be out there, I’mma be right there in front screaming my head off.”
Samuel Ryals is a University of Florida student and Gainesville local, who said the steadily growing scene in Gainesville was the reason he decided to stay.
“How Bazar has been the apex of changing the Gainesville scene. They market themselves as a third space, and they truly are,” he said.
Ryals said he was excited to see 00JORDIE perform, along with all the artists he’s been following for years.
“I’ve watched all their careers grow, and it’s just been great. How Bazar has been that space for creatives to express themselves.”
To honor the theme of circus, Big’s organizers hired puppeteers, aerial performers, clowns and burlesque performers to entertain backstage.
One room featured a ‘fish tank’ where a performer veiled by a black curtain puppeteered neon fishes, worms and eels for partygoers to enjoy.
Sally B. Dash was the host of a cabaret showcase of independent performers, a clown in pink overalls and a yellow flower crowning her blonde wig.
“It is so special for us as circus performers in town. It’s really nice that [Laila] hires locals. There’s stuff that happens in town where people are brought in, and we’re like ‘wait, we can do that! Let us have a stage too we’re here!”
Finally, April 13 was “Sunday Reset” day. Beginning at 11 a.m., attendees were invited to How Bazaar for brunch and mimosas to unwind from a weekend of dancing and raving.