Your Weekend Road Trip: The Pygmalion Music Festival
By Gina Provenzano in Arts & Entertainment on Sep 25, 2014 5:45PM
You might still be cleaning the mud off your shoes from Riot Fest, but if you’re craving one last great festival before the long winter sets in, you’re in luck. The perfect fest to ring in the first crisp weekend of fall is just a short road trip away. Pile in the car and head down I-57 to experience the 10th annual Pygmalion Music Festival kicking off this Thursday night in Champaign-Urbana. The festival, which runs throughout the weekend, is presented similarly to SXSW in that shows will be held at various indoor and outdoor venues throughout the neighboring cities. This year, as in years past, the festival has a stellar music lineup ranging from festival headliners like Chvrches and Panda Bear, to local fan favorites like American Football. But unlike past years, goers can experience a host of literary events, along with a handmade and vintage market featuring local artists. Here are some highlights of what you can expect from each section of the festival.
Music
Pygmalion is known for booking a solid lineup of indie favorites, and this year is no exception. What we love most about the festival is that fans will have the chance to see larger national acts play small to medium sized venues for more intimate performances. The festival also does a great job of staggering their scheduling so it’s rare you’ll have to make the a heartbreaking choice of who to see and who to skip. Friday you can’t go wrong catching Sun Kil Moon and Panda Bear at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. As for Saturday, head over to the Highdive Outdoor Stages to catch Miniature Tigers, Bishop Allen, Tycho and Chvrches play back to back. Sunday catch a the ladies of Ex Hex rock out and get nostalgic with rare appearance by the newly reunited American Football.
Literature
Take a break from the music to enjoy Pygmalion’s Literary Festival, which promises to host a mix of national and local authors. Highlights include former UIUC faculty member Audrey Petty, who most recently edited High Rise Stories: Voices from Chicago Public Housing, speaking with Lannan Literary Fellow Peter Orner. Over the weekend the festival will also hold a Book Fair with appearances from presses like Curbside Splendor, The Pitchfork Review, POETRY and more.
The Made Festival
If you’re looking for a festival souvenir other than a band t-shirt, check out The Made Festival. A new addition to the festival, Made is set to celebrate Champaign-Urbana’s growing handmade and vintage art scene with a curated outdoor market. Admission is free and will be open for attendees Saturday and Sunday 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
For a full festival schedule, vendors and ticket pricing, visit thepygmalionfestival.com
As of this post, a few general admission full festival passes are still available. All shows will also have a limited number of tickets available at the door.