Drifter Fest returns for its second year in honor of the late Bert Griggs, who founded the music-inspired apparel company Drifter Merch in 2016 with his wife Lorrie Dixson Griggs.
“My thoughts are to make it bigger each year and make it a true, large-scale fest one day,” said Dixson Griggs. The pre-show will feature Atlanta’s Last Waltz Ensemble at Home Team BBQ downtown Sept. 10 and the main event will feature jam band Indecision and local cover band Junco Partner at The Refinery Sept. 11.
Dixson Griggs heard about the outdoor event space at The Refinery, a new restaurant-venue hybrid on upper Meeting Street, and thought it would be a good fit when she saw the layout of the small amphitheater out back.
“It’s going to be super cool, because it’s an intimate setting,” she said. “Everything is outdoors, and it’s not going to be too large of a crowd.” Drifter Fest will be Refinery’s first general admission event, with a second level viewing area serving as VIP.
In partnership with Ear for Music, Drifter Fest is scaling up this year. The fest will feature craft vendors Zinnialou Jewelry, Cotton Patch Hemp, GrillKilt, ICEMULE Coolers and SunHeist Eyewear in addition to Drifter Merch, plus local food trucks Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit and The Immortal Lobster.
A portion of the festival proceeds will benefit the Lowcountry’s Carolina Studios, a nonprofit that provides students the opportunity to learn about music, technology and media arts.
Tickets and details are available though City Paper Tickets.
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