The Northside Rock ‘n’ Roll Carnival and 4th of July Parade and Festival may be saddled with one of the most cumbersome titles imaginable. (Try to abbreviate it and even then it sounds like some kind of nonsensical engineering code: NRRC4JPF—holy shit!) But that’s simply because there’s so much going on that a simpler name wouldn’t capture the full scope of what’s in store. —-
The yearly two-day festival, which takes place in Jacob Hoffner Park, features a parade of exotic, twisted-circus-on-bad-acid-type spectacles including fire breathers, sword swallowers, a bed of nails and an array of other bizarre delights. Of course, there’ll be a parade (11 a.m.-1 p.m. July 4th, along Hamilton Ave.), food and booze too. But the reason you’re reading this is because you want to know about the Rock ‘n’ Roll part, right? Well, the schedule has officially been announced, and it looks good and eclectic.
July 3: 6 p.m.-1 a.m. Katie Laur, the Turkeys, Seedy Seeds, the Chauncers, Pickled Brothers Side Show, Culture Queer, Wussy and Man Halen. Plus fire arts by Incendium, an aerial dance performance and MC Brian Dilsizian.
July 4: 1 p.m.-1 a.m. Dance with Me LLC (a Hip Hop troupe), Greg Morris Group, Ill Poetic, Josh Dorsey Blues Band, Wake the Bear, Happy Chichester (Columbus), Lab Partners (Dayton), the Lions Rampant, and Fists of Love. Plus the drag show, a “Northside Rock Star” dunking booth, Dante’s Gypsy Circus, a Vaudeville show and another aerial dance performance.
All told, the Northside Rock 'n' Roll Carnival and 4th of July Parade and Festival may be a mouthful—if not entirely incommunicable when attempting to drunkenly text your friends and let them know where you are—but it will no doubt be a fine way to celebrate the American spirit. Be there!