Another ComFest has come and gone and it appears the festival was once again a success, despite the squally weather.

Hippies, yuppies, communists, conservatives, liberals, gays, straights and metal-heads all converged on Goodale Park last weekend to celebrate community and tolerance. The beer lines were long and the restroom lines longer, but everyone greeted one another with a smile and walked with a curiosity for what ComFest had to offer.

ComFest celebrates community unity and serves to inform and reach the public about a vast array of issues from mental illness to the rainforest. White-robed booths were lined up, housing everything from local artwork, smoking paraphernalia, organic wine sampling and homemade bead jewelry to the Legal Aid Society of Columbus, voter registration, Iraq Veterans Against the War and Mercy for Animals.

ComFest newcomer Stephanie Marshall, 26, said she found the festival to be a relaxed and open atmosphere.

“The activism is great,” Marshall said. “Everyone is so organized in how the ideas are presented and very respectful. If you don’t like something, it’s OK. Go and have fun.”

Marshall grew up in Columbus, but her family never visited ComFest.

“I’ve been to Goodale Park before but I never realized how huge it is,” she said. “There is so much going on. I’m amazed at the amount of volunteers.”

Veteran ComFesters and Hilliard residents Robin and Andrew perched themselves on a concrete slab and watched the crowds pass. Robin, an OSU alumna, said she finds the openness of ComFest appealing and sees it as an opportunity to people-watch.

“It’s all so normal that nothing really stands out,” she said.

Andrew said he comes to ComFest to see political activism at its best.

“Hippies, commies, Libertarians, tree-huggers: that’s what it is,” Andrew said.

Donning a “Barr ’08” sticker, Andrew said he is adamantly against one of the issues being presented at ComFest. The Ohio Paid Sick Days Campaign aims to give all employees compensated time off. Andrew said he believes this issue is adverse to Ohio’s economy.

“Every company that can afford to do it already does,” he said. “It’s the small business owners that will be affected. This will kill jobs and drive jobs out of Ohio.”

Iraq Veterans Against the War also raised controversy as key speaker and Chicago native Adam Navarro-Lowery spoke Sunday about the group’s three points of unity: immediate withdrawal of occupying forces in Iraq, reparations to the Iraqi people and advocacy of veterans’ rights and benefits.

Navarro-Lowery, who served in Kosovo in the 101st Airborne Division, drew applause from the crowd as he criticized the government for misuse of authority and military.

On the lighter side of the ComFest, “In 3D,” a rock-funk-alternative group, saw the Saturday night masses flock to listen to freestyle lyrics set against Black Sabbath music. Crooner Jen Miller caressed the crowd with a jazz-tastic performance Sunday afternoon before honored activist Bob Fitrakis took the stage and followed his medal reception with a fiery speech calling the Bush Administration fascists.

All this amidst topless ladies with painted breasts, funnel cakes, a group of young men walking around with signs that read “Free Hugs,” whiffs of marijuana smoke, voter registration volunteers and ComFesters with hunks of turkey legs in their hands.

Through rain and shine, ComFest survived another year and left the city of Columbus a little bit hippier.

Amanda Forbes can be reached at [email protected].