Great Escapes: Popfest Poptober Fair

If you are looking for something to do with your date this week, the answer is clear: Popfest! This is big, really big, and Athens Patch is here to deflect and break down this maelstrom of creative pursuits headed our way.

First of all, Popfest is a music festival featuring 70 bands, all of them performing at the , the , and . 

Some of the headlining bands (of course, they are too numerous to list here) include The Olivia Tremor Control, Throwing Muses, Bob Mould, The Dead Milkmen, Flash to Bang Time, Matt Hudgins and His Sh*t Hot Country Band, Madeline, Afternoon Naps, and Los Meesfits. Shows will begin this evening (Wednesday, October 12) and continue through Saturday night. See a comprehensive schedule here.

The High Fidelics, a surf-instrumental band from Birmingham, AL, and Los Meesfits, a local mariachi-style punk band, will play the only outdoor (free) show of Popfest, at Ted’s Most Best on Saturday.

To add to this already impressive load of indie artistry, Popfest has decided to interlope with the Fluke! Comic Fest and Indie Crafstravaganzaa to create what they are referring to as Poptober Fair. It’s fun to say - go ahead, try it. 

Fluke! is actually a large comic festival that takes place every April, and while this is not the real and actual Fluke!, it is nevertheless a chance for comic artists to rejoice in pure nerd-dom, as a DIY craft festival, record swap and indie-pop music festival are all happening at the same time and in the same town! Athens Indie Craftsravaganzaa also takes place at various times throughout the year, and this Saturday will give you a rare chance to experience the unbridled creativity that this town has to offer. 

Poptober Fair will take place at the from 10am-6pm on Saturday, and won’t interfere with your seeing any bands. The fair also includes a Secret Record Swap but, shhhhhh!, don’t tell anyone about that. 

You may purchase a wristband for $70, which will include entrance to all Popfest music shows and the Poptober Fair (entrance to the Poptober Fair is $5 w/o a wristband).