Between age 25 and 50, there’s a lot of life to be lived. That is, unless you’re Groovefest, which is 25 and 50 at the same time. The free festival is also 26 and 40-something this year, too.
The brainteaser goes something like this: Started by the University of Oklahoma’s Amnesty International chapter in 1986, Groovefest has been around for 26 years. However, organizers are choosing to celebrate its 25th anniversary this weekend. On top of that, Groovefest is biannual, meaning that, if things were perfect, it would also be celebrating its 50th concert.
But they’ve “missed a few here and there,” meaning this is Groovefest’s 40-something-eth concert.
Got it? It really isn’t going to matter when you’re chilling in Norman’s Andrews Park on Sunday, listening to some sweet tunes, sitting on your picnic blanket and loving life.
“There’s nothing like being in the park with your kids,” said Aimee Rook, Groovefest 2011 coordinator. “We try to be a positive day in the sun.”
To that end, the festival has enlisted an eclectic batch of musicians to play the one-day-only event. From the country rock of openers The Workweek to the electronic jam-band tunes of headliner Montu, the genres represented run the gamut.
Grateful Dead tribute act The Electric Okie Test will take the stage before modern rockers Never My Hero, who precede OKC mellow-pop group The Grown Ups. The rock and pop of Dorian Small will lead directly into Montu’s party-friendly instrumentals.
If that weren’t enough to put a smile on your face, it’s all for a good cause.
“Groovefest promotes community through arts, music and human rights awareness,” said Rook. “And how do you get people to come out and support? Organize bands in the park.”
For this installment, Groovefest has partnered with Mindy’s Memory Primate Sanctuary in Newcastle, raising awareness for the monkey-rescue efforts performed by the organization.
“We’re really working toward the same end,” she said. “They’re working to save primates, and so am I.”
GROOVY SCHEDULE
noon: tie-dye fundraiser
2 p.m.: The Workweek
3 p.m.: Dad
4 p.m.: The Electric Okie Test
5 p.m.: Never My Hero
6 p.m.: The Grown Ups
7 p.m.: Dorian Small
8 p.m.: Montu
This article appears in May 4-10, 2011.