A performer twirls a flaming baton at the 2024 High Spirits Art + Music Festival. Credit: Courtesy of Dirty Work Entertainment
A Halloween-themed night of music, art and entertainment will take over Columbus’s Warehouse District Saturday.
Columbus-based creative entertainment agency, Dirty Work Entertainment, will host their second annual High Spirits Art + Music Festival Saturday. The festival will take place at E Spring St. and N. Fourth St., with doors opening at 11 a.m. and musical performances scheduled to run until 10 p.m., according to High Spirits’ website.
Nick Sinclair, founder and creative director of Dirty Work Entertainment, said this year’s festival has much more in store than last year. Visitors can expect performances from more than 30 bands and musicians across three different stages, comedy, drag and burlesque shows, circus performers, a skate park, an art gallery and around 80 different vendors at this year’s event.
“We have two comedy showcases from local comedians and we have a comedian coming from New York — James Camacho,” Sinclair said. “He’s going to be headlining one of our showcases. We’re introducing some dance elements, so there’ll be two dance troops that are performing, [one of which is] Anna and The Annadroids, which is a pretty big dance staple here in Columbus. We have a circus troupe, Queen City Circus … our skatepark’s bigger this year [and] we have more vendors this year.”
Sinclair said there will be more artwork from local artists on display and for sale.
“We also did a call for artists, so we have a lot of artists that are going to be doing sort of a gallery,” Sinclair said. “You’ll be able to walk through and look at all of the art they have for sale and check out what they’re doing, so that’s sort of pushing you for this year. It’s bigger. It’s bolder. It’s more exciting.”
Sinclair said he created the festival last year as a way to showcase the local artistry and talent in Columbus and give independent artists and musicians a platform.
“I wanted to do something that was a little bit more focused on the music that wasn’t there just as background noise or just to get the crowd going out,” Sinclair said. “[Dirty Work Entertainment] got a grant from the city to do it last year and I had already had a little music showcase planned — it just sort of exploded. It became this funky, rock n’ roll, alternative Halloween-inspired event, which is just right up my alley.”
Guests explore the booths at the 2024 High Spirits Art + Music Festival. Credit: Courtesy of Dirty Work Entertainment
Sinclair said some of the headlining acts have performed at larger festivals, such as Sonic Temple and Warped tour, and that including these performances helps smaller artists reach new audiences.
“I wanted to book bands that were sort of larger international touring bands. So, Call me Karizma, Beauty School Dropout, DeathbyRomy — who played last year — bringing them in to help draw people into the event and then they would also be able to discover tons of new music,” Sinclair said. “So, that’s why we try to bring in a mix of up-and-coming artists and ones that are already a little bit more solidified.”
Sinclair said this year they are not working with the city and will be selling general admission and VIP tickets.
“That just helps to offset the cost of permits and having to rent everything and paying the bands, so all of the money just goes right back into the artists and supporting the community businesses we’re working with,” Sinclair said.
Sinclair said despite feedback, it’s necessary for the festival to be self-funded this year.
“There’s been a lot of pushback on us selling tickets for this year, but art costs money, these types of things cost a lot of money,” Sinclair said. “We try to keep this as non-corporate as possible. Your partners are not necessarily sponsors and we are not going to these big groups to try and get money from [them.] This is all either self-funded or funded by the community, so every ticket sale helps.”
Casey Ward, guitarist and vocalist of Electro Cult Circus, said people who enjoy Comfest — Columbus’s community festival — and TRAUMA festival — a Halloween-fetish and costume party — will find a good middle-ground with the High Spirits festival.
“People who are into industrial and goth music, and also people who like jam bands, [the festival is] like a weird mid-section of both of them.” Ward said.
Ward said this festival gives unconventional musicians and artists a way to connect with a new audience.
“They’re pretty good friends of ours, I’ve gotten to know [Sinclair] over the last couple of years and really respect everything he’s trying to do — he’s trying to bring some more weird music up to the forefront, which I think we definitely need,” Ward said. “When I say weird, it’s just stuff that’s not typical and also stuff that’s gonna challenge people a little bit. It might not be your cup of tea, but it’ll be something new to you so that’s what I like about it.”
Ward said his band tries to make the audience feel like they are a part of the music at their shows.
“We like to make people feel like it’s sort of a collective they can be a part of, like a musical movement,” Ward said. “I think nowadays, especially with what’s going on in the world, people are looking for something, some sort of hope and I think people have forgotten the power of art to some degree.”
Tickets and more information can be found on the festival’s website.
