Oye Fest goes big!

Atlanta’s Latinx community is starting a cultural revolution. OYE Fest, a three-day Latinx-themed gathering, and the latest entry into the city’s booming festival landscape, takes over Space2 and the Sound Table (Aug. 10), Variety Playhouse (Aug. 11), and Terminal West (Aug. 12). With a lineup that blends acts such as Ivy Queen, the Puerto Rican Queen of Reggaeton and Los Angeles’ psychedelic jazz-rock outfit the Marias (pictured above) with Atlanta bands such as Bitter and Yukons, Oye Fest is a celebration of music and culture as much as it is about shining a light on progressive Southern identity.

“We know what California sounds like, we know what the New York or Texas immigrant community sounds like, so we’re trying to be a part of the conversation that defines the voice of the Southern Latinx community,” says OYE co-founder Monica Campana.

Boasting a lineup of names such as Cuco, Mexican Jihad, the Marias, Riobamba, and more, OYE Fest is positioned for maximum impact both curatorially and socially. The schedule also features various panel discussions focused on artistry and cultural resilience, and $5 from every ticket sale goes to United We Dream, a youth-led immigrant rights organization. OYE will also host an art auction with proceeds donated to United We Dream. “We’re doing it because we believe it’s important,” Campana says. “Maybe the driving force behind throwing this music festival first and foremost was our activist personality. Celebrating and creating spaces for celebration, gathering, and healing is a huge way of claiming space and saying that we are here. It’s an act of persistence.”

For more information look online at www.oyefest.com.