Spring is that inevitable time of the year where two things are guaranteed in the great city of Atlanta: pollen WILL take over your life and festivals will take over your streets. While Shaky Knees, 420 Fest, and other mainstream festivals are either wrapping up or preparing to kick off, other, less known DIY events are being born.

Peacefest 2016 is the brainchild of musicians Aidan Burns (Aidan Burns & Wounded Deer), Nik Howlett, and Randy Burnette (Sea Ghost). After discussing it for some time, the trio wanted to create an event with a simple goal in mind: to help promote some of Atlanta’s lesser known talent. “There are a lot of bands on the bill that people have not heard much of yet,” Howlett explains. “Our goal, and what makes this festival unique, is that we’re bringing together all of these different genres and having them play in front of an audience that may or may not have been exposed to such music. We’re using Peacefest to try to get these bands to be heard because we believe they deserve [it].”

But while the festival is largely focused on up-and-coming artists, the organizers are well aware of the need for established bands to help promote and draw an audience. Hence, the inaugural event, which take places tomorrow afternoon and evening, will feature several well-known acts performing on its two stages. Larry League, Sea Ghost, Heavy Eyes, King Guru, and Danger Incorporated represent some of the veteran talent, while newcomers such as Stranger Sounding, Smothie, and Woman will be debuting for the first time.

Peacefest is also designed to bring attention to No Man’s Land Skate Park, a newer venue space located in Southwest Atlanta that is owned and operated by the Patio Mob Art Collective. Through their efforts, the trio hope to build awareness about the need for more accessible spaces that are welcoming to more diverse audiences. “The way venues present themselves is that they create niche event spaces that attract certain markets or groups of people,” Burnette argues. “We can’t keep losing out on venues that allow a wide variety of people and music into their doors. Those venues are, from what we’ve seen, precious and rare.”

In addition to its two stages (one indoor, one outdoor), the festival will also feature graffiti exhibits, food trucks, and a face painting booth. “I came up with the idea with Nik just to showcase the idea of peace and bringing all of the arts together,” says Burnette. “We just all wanted to play one big performance showing off some of the best local talent.”

The full lineup and set times for Peacefest 2016 are listed below.

Ying Stage (Outdoor)
Woman & AFG – 4 p.m.
Sloth & Friends – 5:27 p.m.
Stranger Sounding – 6:21 p.m.
Crystal Maverick – 7:15 p.m.
Heavy Eyes – 8:09 p.m.
Kudzu Kids – 9:03 p.m
Cinnamon Kyle – 9:57 p.m.
King Guru – 10:51 p.m.

Yang Stage (Outdoor)
Liquid Blue – 5 p.m.
Smothie – 5:54 p.m.
Ten Dollar Empire – 6:48 p.m.
Dog Lover 420 – 7:42 p.m.
Aidan Burns & Wounded Deer – 8:36 p.m.
Ian & the Ekonomy – 9:30 p.m.
Danger Incorporated – 10:24 p.m.
Sea Ghost – 11:18 p.m.
Larry League – 12:12 p.m.

Peacefest 2016 will take place tomorrow, May 7, at the No Man’s Land Skate Park. Doors open at 4 p.m. Admission is $5.

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Facebook: Event page