The Fest that’s all the Fuss

     I’ve never had a desire to go to Number Fest. As a local and a student, I can see both sides of the polemical music festival and don’t like getting mixed up in the debate. This year, however, I decided to get some light conflict reportage experience and dive into the hectic mess of “#14Fest” with my fearless comrade, Athens News reporter Conor Morris to find out what the fuss is all about. Here is a selection of the images I made once my boots touched mud at “The Venue” in Athens, Ohio:

     We spent 7 hours in the melee of college students and fest pilgrims and even joined in the ghostly hike home. Everything seemed mostly under control, except for the fates of a few unfortunate fest-goers. It’s always nice to have an opportunity to become a fly on the wall at a spectacle such as Number Fest, but I’d say I’ve more than exhausted my annual quota for watching drunken people. Amidst a day’s worth of unbelievable anecdotes and beautiful spring weather, I found a few moments that truly encapsulated the experience. With a big thanks to Conor, who conducted interviews throughout the event, we made it out alive, having gained various new perspectives on an event that, to me, had before been just a nicely tied up mystery.