Gathering of the Vibes Kicks off Weekend Festival

“Revelers,” “attendees” and “festival-goers” are the titles of people who attend music events around the world, participating in days-long sets and standing through show after performance after headliner.

But not at Bridgeport’s Gathering of the Vibes, held July 31 - Aug. 3.

The Connecticut festival’s community has its very own name: the VibeTribe.

It’s a humble homage to the festival’s 1996 origins as a memorial party for Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia, when the event was named “Deadhead Heaven – A Gathering of the Tribe.”

The festival morphed into Gathering of the Vibes, but it still serves as a place for music fans to “renew their bonds of friendship,” according to the festival website.

This year marks the festival’s 19th run and its 10th return to Seaside Park in Bridgeport.

The lineup offers some pretty big name acts, such as Widespread Panic, John Fogerty, Dispatch and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros — but there’s no shortage of breakout artists either.

Tickets are available for full-weekend camping ($270), individual day passes ($95) and VIP options, all ready to welcome anyone interested in joining the VibeTribe community.