Big: Culture & Arts Festival Kickoff Block Party

Start: Friday, April 11, 2025 8:00PM
End: Saturday, April 12, 2025 2:00AM

Dion Dia and How Bazar present the third annual Big: Culture & Arts Festival with support from Visit Gainesville, Alachua County as part of the county’s yearlong Discover 200 Bicentennial Celebration. On April 12, an off-the-beaten-path, grassy compound between Porters Quarters Community and South Main Street will transform into a feast of sounds and sights as musicians like The Alchemist, MIKE, Navy Blue, Annabelle Kline, Elijah Fox, Pink Siifu and Pearl & the Oysters take to the stage, while fire breathers and stilt walkers induce awe everywhere you turn. For the third iteration of this annual festival celebrating Florida’s diverse, creative communities, Big organizers have paired street culture with a circus atmosphere. Imagine: aerial artists dancing with silks to the sounds of skateboarders grinding on metal, or the pulse of drum and bass rhythms soundtracking a contortionist’s movements. Big co-founders Laila Fakhoury and Jahi and Khary Khalfani — who co-own Florida’s Dion Dia Records and Gainesville third place, apparel store and nightlife venue How Bazar — envision the festival as an opportunity to spotlight and connect the wealth of creative talent housed within Florida, as well as introduce Floridian audiences to national touring artists. Big 2025 builds on the success of 2023’s The BIG SHO’ and last year’s Big, both of which saw the convergence of live music of all genres, multimedia art, skate, cars, fashion, and food. “From punk to hip-hop to dream pop to R&B, the music at Big is intentionally as eclectic as possible,” Fakhoury said. “We want to introduce audiences to artists they haven’t yet heard of and experiences they’ve maybe only dreamt of.” Three outdoor and indoor stages will feature performances from national, regional and local acts, including Yedoye, Wiki, Animal Prince and 00Jordie. The community stage, sponsored by West Law Firm, will house every genre under the sun performed by Floridian artists, while the Rhythm Room will produce the kind of hard-grooving, sweat-dripping-off-your-body DJ sets usually unique to Miami nightclubs. “We aim to offer a dynamic experience that goes beyond an audience standing in a field watching music on a stage. Big is more like a cultural amusement park,” Jahi Khalfani said. A VIP lounge inside The Alchemy Work Club will offer air-conditioned perks for VIP passholders, while a tiny Kei truck outfitted with beers, wine and liquor will rove around the grounds to provide refreshments for all. A circus-themed streetwear fashion show will see local models sport handmade apparel from Florida designers, and an indoor skatepark will feature hand-built ramps and obstacles suitable for intermediate to advanced skaters. The Circus House will boast live cabaret, burlesque and aerial performances, and diverse food and coffee pop-ups will treat guests to the best in Florida’s growing culinary scenes. The team from Chicago-based music discovery platform Real Ones will be on hand to capture Big’s magic in real time. Big’s new offerings in 2025 also include an immersive installation by Swiss sculptural artist Annabelle Schneider, which beckons attendees to experience acupuncture and massage treatment sessions within a womb-like environment; and a drive-in movie theater experience complete with cars ready to hop into and plenty of films from local makers in the queue. Tickets for Big are on sale now. General admission tickets are $45. VIP tickets offering refreshments, seating, air-conditioning, massage therapists, a private bar and bathrooms, not to mention exclusive performances and DJ sets inside the VIP lounge, are $100. For out-of-town attendees, discounted hotel room rates are available at Best Western Gateway Grand and TownePlace Suites Gainesville Northwest. For more information and to secure your tickets to Big: Culture & Arts Festival, visit bigcaf.com.