The Inaugural Violet Gathering: Crime Victim Center Benefit

David Desin

Massive Denial will be on the bill for the first annual Violet Gathering, a grassroots, all volunteer-run, not-for-profit music festival whose proceeds will benefit The Crime Victim Center of Erie and whose organizers hope to raise awareness of the prevalence of domestic violence.

BEGINNING SATURDAY, JUL. 29

A staggering one in four women and one in nine men experience domestic violence in their lifetimes. Locals are collaborating together to create a safe and healing space by creating a festival that raises awareness and offers resources for those who are or have experienced an unsafe relationship.

Hosted at a nearby outdoor venue, local bands Odd Atrocity, Dumpster Garden, and their dedicated friends created the inaugural Violet Gathering which will offer tent camping, workshops including self-defense demonstrations, support groups, trauma releasing activities, art therapy, "rage painting," and more.

A supervised kids tent full of fun and engaging activities will be run until sundown by local moms and daycare workers with government clearances for parents who want to enjoy some child-free social time. This event features over 25 local bands and independent musicians on two stages for non-stop jams. There will also be several options for food vendors, general goods vendors, and a "free market."

The idea for the Violet Gathering, reflective of the purple ribbon which is used as a symbol for domestic violence survivors, was started as a means to protest abuse in the music scene. The hosts wanted to do something more than just protest, and as more ideas blossomed, they set out to create a supportive environment focused on healing, unity, fun, and accessible help for those in domestic situations.

The Violet Gathering has plans to continue hosting this event every year, donating proceeds to The Crime Victims Center of Erie. If you are interested in making a donation to the festival itself, readers can do so on Cashapp with the tag $TheVioletGathering. The musical lineup and more details can be found on The Violet Gathering event page on Facebook. 

July 29 through 30 // Beginning at 12 p.m. // Jim-N-I Music Park, 14301 Ridge Rd., West Springfield // $10-$15 // More info: thevioletgathering@gmail.com