It’s impossible to talk about Florida’s jam band and music festival scene without bringing up the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, a forested site steeped in lore and legend in North Central Florida.
The 800-acre plot of land plays host to 20,000 festival attendees each October when the park’s largest annual festival, Suwannee Hulaween, returns with an expansive array of art and music on five stages. With Spanish moss that resembles cobwebs and a festive Halloween atmosphere, the festival has a gravitational pull that brings back devotees year after year.
“It’s a really special site. You feel the energy and you see how people are so emotionally connected to it,” said Michael Berg, the festival’s co-founder. “We’re trying to create an environment that’s an escape from the real world.”
DJ trio Levity performs at Suwannee Hulaween in 2024. (Courtesy Tara Gracer/Suwannee Hulaween)
During the camping festival Oct. 30-Nov. 2, fans can catch sets from jam bands that are obscure in the eyes of the general public but beloved within the community, including: Goose, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Parcels, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Glass Beams and Hulaween staple The String Cheese Incident. Electronic music acts include Illenium, Zeds Dead, Sammy Virji and DJ Pee .Wee, the alter ego of Anderson .Paak.
“It doesn’t matter your gender, your age gap from another fan, your race, your sexual identity or anything along those lines. We’re very inclusive,” Berg said. “There are multiple communities that exist under the Hula umbrella.”
While Spirit of Suwannee Music Park is known for hosting other festivals centered on country, bluegrass and rock music, Hulaween sets itself apart with its genre-blending lineup of more than 75 bands, its festival Halloween atmosphere and immersive art.
The focal point for art is Spirit Lake, a “living, breathing” experience with a lake show projected onto a 60-foot-wide water screen.
Spirit Lake has a projection show over the water at Suwannee Hulaween. (Courtesy Jay Strausser/Suwannee Hulaween)
“You don’t really see the water, you just end up seeing holographic-looking art floating in front of your face,” Berg said. “There’s different areas with secret rooms that go into other places with other secret rooms. It’s like a psychedelic Wonderland for adults.”
Now in its 12th year, the festival has seen loyal fans return year after year from Orlando, Tampa and St. Pete, Jacksonville, South Florida and Atlanta as well as across the Southeast. Some attendees make the long trek from as far away as New York, Denver, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
“This is truly people’s annual pilgrimage and their vacation for the year,” Berg said. “We want people to leave feeling like, ‘Wow, I used my vacation time wisely. I’m leaving recharged and ready to go back to the real world.’”
Fans gather for a set around sunset at Suwannee Hulaween in 2024. (Courtesy Tara Gracer/Suwannee Hulaween)
As some members of the Hulaween community find it harder to make the trip or come back to the festival for the first time in years, new fans are also emerging to see what all the hype is about.
“We’ve seen quite a bit of sentiment of people saying it’s their first Hulaween this year,” Berg said. “We’re in a transition period where the community is evolving into a new generation.”
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If you go
Suwannee Hulaween has four days of music and art Oct. 30-Nov. 2 at 3076 95th Drive in Live Oak. General admission passes start at $169 for one day and up to $534.67 for four days. GA+, VIP and glamping upgrades are available. More information: hulaween.com
