The Offetstine Annual Music, Art and Culture Festival, originally known as the Offetstine Music Festival, commonly and simply referred to by residents of the town of Offetstine as the Music Festival, is an arts festival and cultural event held each year on the second Saturday of June.[1] The event was initially organized in 1928 by James R. Marion, an immigrant, jazz musician and entrepreneur.
Despite the Festival's roots in jazz, the scope of the festival has expanded to feature various genres of music, as well as many other forms of art, including theater and film. Its name was formally changed in 1940 to reflect its increased scope. Many prominent figures in the entertainment industry, including multiple high-profile rock and heavy metal bands, have performed at the Festival, leading some critics and attendees to contend that despite the expansion in scope, the most important legacy of the Festival is still the musical performances it hosts.
History
The first annual Offetstine Music Festival was held on Sat, Jun 9, 1928. The event was organized by James R. Marion, a Louisianan immigrant and jazz musician who, per his statement at the first Music Festival event, "longed to bring the heart of jazz from the American South to England". Having found moderate success in the service industry from a small retail business in the Offetstine old town, Marion explains he "still longed for [his] enterprising heyday as a musician".
Since its inception, each event under the Festival's name has been organized by a member of the Marion family; James R. Marion, the original founder of the Festival, when describing his decision to step down, explained that he had grown too old to fully manage all Festival proceedings, but wished it would remain in the hands of people who understood the importance of freedom of expression in music and art.
His eldest daughter, Madelyn Marion Lowell, began to organize Festival events from 1973. A student of musicology at Cedar Crest University, she cites her interest in spotlighting artists who would otherwise go unnoticed, and avant-garde styles that existed outside the mainstream. Her husband, Nicholas Lowell, was a banker and had initially been a financier of the event; later directly participating in business and logistics responsibilities and decisions such as securing venues, and producing and publishing advertisements. He mentions that he originally met Madelyn through this involvement.
Under Madelyn's direction, the Music Festival has featured a distinct "theme" every year, a word or short phrase that performers are encouraged, but not required, to explore the meaning of through their pieces. The introduction of "themes" has encouraged many abstract works and performance art pieces to be presented at the Festival. Madelyn cites the demoscene, and her children's involvement in software and programming, especially music tracker software, as inspiration for the idea.
Events
Not all years the Festival was held are documented. Any years the Festival was not held, will be explicitly documented.
| Date (in-universe) | Date (in real life) | Venue(s) | Attendance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Jun 9, 1928 | Tue, Jun 9, 1953 | — | ~400 | The first annual Offetstine Music Festival. Primarily featured the works of jazz musicians and was personally financed and organized by James R. Marion. |
| Sat, Jun 8, 1940 | Tue, Jun 8, 1965 | — | ~2800 | The first event conducted under the name Offetstine Annual Music, Art and Culture Festival. The 1940 Festival was notable for having the highest attendance of any year's Music Festival at the time, a record unbroken for almost twenty years. Outside of music, a central focus was placed on film and theater, and local talent in Offetstine and neighboring towns and cities, with several more independent productions screened or performed than last year. |
| Sat, Jun 9, 1973 | Tue, Jun 9, 1998 | — | ~3200 | Theme: Roses
The first event organized and hosted by Madelyn Marion Lowell and Nicholas Lowell. This event placed a strong emphasis on avant-garde artistic movements, and was the first event to feature a theme. |
| Sat, Jun 14, 1997 | Tue, Jun 14, 2022 | — | ~3000 | Theme: Light and Color |
| Sat, Jun 13, 1998 | Tue, Jun 13, 2023 | — | ~3100 | Theme: Far from Home |
| Sat, Jun 12, 1999 (upcoming) |
Wed, Jun 12, 2024 (upcoming) |
TBD | TBD | Theme: Constellation |
Notes
- ↑ Roleplay in Offetstine is set 25 years behind the present day, which usually means that dates and days of the week are not properly aligned. The event takes place on Saturday in-universe, which coincides with either Tuesday or Wednesday in real life, depending on the year.