In an all-day event last Saturday, Project Pabst lit up East Village to kickoff October in Atlanta. The festival, which highlights local artists of all mediums in each of the four cities it visits, was a blend of music, art and PBR-fueled fun.
The lineup for the event consisted of smaller bands like Jacuzzi Boys and Titus Andronicus as well as more established artists like The Internet and Santigold. The musical highpoint was headlining hip-hop group Run the Jewels, pulling a crowd of about 1,000 at the day’s end. Group member and Atlanta native Killer Mike has been vocal about his support of Bernie Sanders, which drew younger fans to Run the Jewels and, subsequently, to Project Pabst.
The large crowd meant a spike in local business; the festival area encompassed the strips that run along Glenwood Avenue and Flat Shoals Avenue, which were packed to the brim throughout the day.
Between the restaurants, bars and shops, festivalgoers could find an Atlanta-specific can of PBR at a mobile Pabst station. Pabst also provided “hydration stations” that gave out free bottles of water – a much-needed service any frequent festival attendee knows is rare to come by.
Another facet of the festival was the Red Clay Comedy Show, where comedians like Mike Denny performed in between taking part in the festivities themselves. Denny, who is from New York City, calls the Atlanta event “mellow” in comparison to his usual experiences at festivals.
With such a high turnout and an overall successful collaboration with the local Atlanta music and art scene, Project Pabst may be back next year for anther round.