Sweetwater 420 Festival kicks off Friday (April 19th-21st) at Atlanta’s Centennial Park celebrating their 15th Anniversary. The festival is bigger than ever with a weekend jam packed and ready for the celebration of all things Earth, Beer, music and more. They’ve crafted an experience fit for any true Sweetwater lover.
Atlanta’s beloved craft brewery, Sweetwater Brewing Company, threw their first festival 15 years ago on a much smaller scale, bringing 3,000 to the small Oakhurst Park. There was beer, music (including Tea Leaf Green), and the environment. Two years later the festival moved over to Candler Park and continued to grow each year, before moving to Centennial Park in 2014. Now in their 6th year at Centennial, there will be plenty to do all around the park to enjoy a weekend celebrating Earth Day (April 22nd) over an assortment of tasty beers.
Across four stages and more around the park, the 2019 Festival includes the dedicated 420 Disco stage for your beats, live comedy acts, local crafts & artists, food trucks, and the Planet 420 environmental and non-profit village. There is also the “4:19: Got a Minute to Give?” initiative where the artists donated memorabilia to be auctioned off and benefitting a charity of their choice.
While the festival may be a celebration of Earth Day, beer is what Sweetwater does best and there will plenty of that going around. In the Sweetwater Experience tent, there will be 25 unique styles you can try, plus presentations running throughout the weekend talking all things beer. There are even 3 special collaboration beers with 3 of the artists playing this weekend: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong’s “IPPPA”. Iration’s “Already Gold”, and Fruition’s “Fruition’s Fire”. These three special beers not only sound interesting (“IPPPA”: IPA with earth, fruit, fruit, fruit, crickets, fruit, wait what? Must try), but tasty. Reading the descriptions and inspirations behind each collab (here), “Already Gold” sounds like it could be a great beer for a beautiful weekend, but our vote before tasting goes to “Fruition’s Fire”, a Berliner Weiss style with peaches and jalapeños; we like a little heat in Georgia you know.
Then of course there is the music. Widespread Panic returning to Sweetwater 420 Fest, closing down Saturday and Sunday nights with 2 sets each night, will certainly be the biggest draw and fitting headliner for the 15th Anniversary of the festival. There will be plenty of jam bands to go along with the headliners, but there is more including a mixture of everything from Americana, alternative, reggae, EDM and then the stand-up comedy. Even though WSP isn’t playing Friday night, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead and The Avett Brothers headlining set is sure to kick it off with a bang.
Sweetwater 420 Festival 2019 kicks off this Friday at 1pm, while advance tickets are sold out, you can still grab passes at will call.
Which 10 sets are we really looking forward to at this year’s Sweetwater 420 Festival?
Billy Strings
Friday – 4:30pm-6:00pm @ 420 Strain Stage
Let the pickers rejoice, fresh off the success of their 2017 album Turmoil & Tinfoil, Nashville-based Billy Strings is one of the best young bluegrass guitarists to emerge in a while. This will be a beautiful site to see and hear.
JJ Grey & Mofro
Friday – 5:00pm-6:30pm @ Sweetwater Stage
Since releasing their debut album in 2001, JJ Grey & Mofro have mixed everything from Blues, Southern Rock, R&B and even funk, to develop their beloved soulful back porch swamp music and a strong reputation for their triumphant live shows.
Aaron Lee Tasjan
Friday – 6:15pm-7:15pm @ Lyrics & Laughter Stage
Aaron Lee Tasjan was always a young prodigy guitarist, even at the young age of 16 before playing with the likes of Drivin’ N’ Cryin’, the New York Dolls and more. Since moving to Nashville in 2013 and focusing on his solo career, Aaron Lee Tasjan has quickly become one of the best and most unique songwriters around across 3 full length albums and multiple EPs. Tasjan is currently touring behind his 2018 album Karma For Cheap.
Mo Lowda & the Humble
Saturday – 1:00pm-1:45pm @ Lyrics & Laughter Stage
The dynamic alt-rock band out of Philadelphia have become known for their explosive live performances that should be a hit at the fest. Check out our interview with the Mo Lowda & the Humble here.
Band of Heathens
Saturday – 1:30pm-3:00pm @ 420 Strain Stage
Austin, Texas’ roots rockers, Band of Heathens started making their mark releasing two live albums in 2006 & 2008, becoming a favorite of Americana lovers for their country fused rock ‘n’ roll. Their latest record, 2018 A Message From The People is the band’s take on the classic Ray Charles album, which should make for a soulful 420 set.
Everyone Orchestra
Saturday – 2:30pm-4:20pm @ Sweetwater Stage
Everyone Orchestra is an ever changing All Star cast of musicians joining conductor Matt Butler in an entirely improvised show. Butler writes the theme for this performance on a white board and then shows the audience and musicians. This should be fun to see who all plays and watch the magic happen on stage, while participating from the crowd. Their 420 Fest set is said to include a stellar cast featuring members of Umphrey’s McGee, Greensky Bluegrass, Trey Anastasio Band, Col.Bruce Hampton and The Aquarium Rescue Unit & more!
Magic City Hippies
Saturday – 4:45pm-5:45pm @ Lyrics & Laughter Stage
Miami indie funk darlings. That short bio says it all. Magic City Hippies mixes funk, hip hop, and rock into their own brand of indie pop that should be one of smoothest, grooviest, and best sets of the weekend.
Greco
Sunday – 12:00pm-1:00pm @ 420 Strain Stage
One of the great things about Sweetwater 420 Fest is that they do bring in talent local to Atlanta and surrounding areas. They even give 3 Talent Tap spots to local bands won through a Battle of the Bands competition. One of this year’s winners, Greco is sure to bring the party with hook driven, sweaty rock ‘n’ roll. These 4 brothers are ready to break some hearts while singing and dancing across the 420 Strain Stage.
Katie Pruitt
Sunday – 2:00pm-2:45pm @ Lyrics & Laughter Stage
Another Atlanta connection, Katie Pruitt is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter originally from the suburbs of Atlanta. After the release of her 2018 live, OurVinyl EP, Pruitt was named on NPR’s Slingshot Artists to Watch in 2019 and she returns home with tons of momentum. Katie Pruitt will be one of the biggest, booming voices of the whole festival, and we should all be paying attention.
The Claypool Lennon Delirium
Sunday – 2:00pm-3:45pm @ Sweetwater Stage
The mind bending combination that is Les Claypool and Sean Lennon pulling from all ends of psychedelia, what’s not to love? The Claypool Lennon Delirium is touring behind their second full length album South Of Reality, released February 22nd. This is definitely one of most anticipated sets of the whole weekend.
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit
Sunday – 4:20pm-6:00pm @ Sweetwater Stage
There’s not a better way to close down the festival before the last two Widespread sets than Jason Isbell, who’s sure to go down as one of the greatest songwriters of the current era, already winning multiple Grammy Awards. Alongside his band The 400 Unit, Isbell brings power, emotion and a beautiful rawness to his timeless and relatable stories.
