Sol Fest: Preparing for An Inaugural Celebration of Life

Festivals are far more than places to party and escape – they can comprise entire communal worlds in which participants are united by shared values and connections. Many events invite folks to create and express, to dream and transform; some encourage attendees to navigate grief and cherish memories, to move through mourning and find solace in change. The inaugural Sol Fest, a three-day music & art experience slated for May 6-8, 2022, will center its approach around this latter combination of themes in celebration of the life and legacy of Quentin 'Sol' Rupp.

The Soul of Sol

Nicknamed “Q” by his many loved ones curating the festival, Quentin was a son, family member, best friend, outdoor enthusiast, community caretaker, third-generation music fan, and brilliant student of life whose light shone as bright as the Sun.

“Q was a larger-than-life kind of person. A loyal, true friend,” shares Dillion Michael, Quentin’s best friend and Sol Fest team member. “He was the type of guy to give you the shirt off his back.” Dillion spent an abundance of quality time with Quentin. Professionally, they were colleagues in the cellular tower industry. Outside of work, live music illuminated a core part of their companionship. The duo traveled to more than 50 festivals and events. Alexus Williams and Justin Kulkusky, co-founders of Sol Fest, also shared close friendships with Quentin, remembering him as a radiant beacon of loyal and unconditional kindness.

On New Year's Eve 2020, Quentin and Dillion drove seven hours to spend time with Alexus and Justin for the evening. Justin, who was struggling with the recent loss of his best friend, remembers the meaningful way Quentin showed him radical care.

“Quentin showered me with love. It meant a lot to me, because he had so many friends, but always gave full attention to whomever he was with. I broke down several times over the weekend, and he was always there comforting me, coaching me through the grief,” says Justin. “It helped me more than he realized. This is a special memory that I will cherish forever.”

Such joyful bonds and lasting memories with Quentin inform the imaginative blueprint that is bringing Sol Fest into the fold.

“My favorite moments with Quentin were when we saw music together. He was that person to get out on the dance floor and shake his hair and just get lost in the music,” recalls Dillion. “Most of our team created bonds with Quentin through festivals. Sol Fest provides our community a tangible world in which to remember Q’s brightness, and we want to create that space for others who may be grieving in their own lives.”

Learning the Layout

Located at Lilypad Adventures in Campbellton, Florida, the Sol Fest venue is renowned for a variety of natural features that are conducive to personal and community healing. The 1600-acre land contains natural springs that flow into the Chipola River. These springs will be available for attendees to soak their skin and dip their toes during hotter daytime weather.

The Sol Fest team is crafting a simple and accessible festival design with respect to the venue’s existing amenities. A dense foliage of trees lines the perimeter of the grounds. Human-made structures already decorate the property. Front and back paths create earthy corridors for walking between the three planned stages.

The event’s renegade bus – known as the DeBussy Bus – will be stacked with a Funktion One soundsystem, offering morning and afternoon enjoyment by the springs. DeBussy is on the rise and in high demand across the festival renegade scene. This noteworthy setup is sure to audio-visually enhance Sol Fest’s springtime environment.

Although warm and sunny Floridian weather is anticipated throughout the festival, the Sol Fest crew is preparing with resilience in mind.

“The ground soil is firm and packed to help manage any rainwater flooding, and we’re working to acquire canopy shading to keep attendees cool,” says Dillion. “Rain or shine, we’ll be ready for it.”

Music, Memories & Meaning

As a first-year event, Sol Fest is already looking bright with a promising lineup of more than 60 musicians across multiple electronic mediums. Headliners range from the funk-infused Manic Focus and the eclectically-glitchy Mr. Bill to the bass-heavy Minnesota and two unique sets by the beloved Yheti (with his double-slot hinting that one of Yheti’s highly-acclaimed sunrise sets may be in store…).

A multifaceted range of producers will grace the stages of Sol Fest, including but certainly not limited to ATYYA, Eazybaked, MeSo, Ravenscoon, Toadface, Keota, Mindex, NotLö, Vibe Emissions, Ahee, Josh Teed, Smigonaut, and Zen Selekta, along with special guests Luzcid and Kursa. Additionally, an array of outstanding local and regional talent fills the undercard, mirroring the supportive spirit of the southeastern music scene.

“Our team enjoys a wide variety of bass music,” says Justin. “We want to create a festival that highlights these niche bass artists – with full production – because they are under-appreciated at most festivals.”

Some acts in particular stand out amidst this skilled ensemble of electronic artists. Integrate, a collaborative project between VCTRE and Black Carl!, will offer an interdimensional dance adventure for fans of glitchy, hip hop-infused experimental music.

Meanwhile, the up-and-coming Benji Robot – of the Mean Mug Music collective that is helping bring Sol Fest to life – is billed for two sets; this double exposure will provide fans with the upbeat and downtempo sounds of his expanding arsenal.

Lastly, Super Future is booked for a two-hour sunrise set. This extensive morning experience lends itself to the reflective, introspective, and transformative values at the heart of Sol Fest. And virtually the entire lineup reflects the niche interests that most resonated with Quentin’s music-loving soul.

“When curating this lineup, we wanted it to align with the artists Quentin likes, and who we enjoy as well,” says Dillion. “Additionally, eight of the artists personally knew Quentin, so that is sure to add a meaningful dimension to the music.”

Zeplinn, Cut Rugs, Murkury, KirbyBright, Patches, Engix, Maroc, and Hippy Chris were all close friends with Quentin. These producers will be ones to watch as they commemorate Quentin through the art of sound.

Interactive Features, Intimate Experience

In addition to the lineup, Sol Fest is curating a highly interactive experience from performers and workshops to vendors and installations. Visual attractions will include Frick Frack Blackjack, The Sonic Portal, The Mural Maze, an art gallery, live painters, flow artists, and a holographic water screen. Healing workshops will take place each morning, with emphasis on yoga, breathwork, and ecstatic dance. Sol Fest will also feature vendors – food, art, and merch – with experience at large-scale events like Bonnaroo, Electric Forest, and Hulaween.

“When I go to a festival, what separates a good time from really good time is when I meet people and make new friends and engage in fun, interactive activities,” says Dillion. “We want to create little special things that will set us apart from larger festivals – to provide opportunities for attendees to connect with new people.”

Perhaps the most signature element of Sol Fest will be its series of memorial installations. A commemorative slideshow will recognize late family and friends. A ‘pass the goods’ trading post will serve as an ode to Stewart Beck, founder of Pass the Good Entertainment. An event will occur by the springs for folks to reflect on the life and impact of CharlestheFirst.

Throughout the weekend, attendees will be invited to mourn, reflect, venerate, and remember loved ones by writing notes attached to a wooden effigy.

“We all deal with death and grief at some point in our lives and we wanted to create a festival that honors those who have passed onward – while celebrating life through friends and music. Our art installations will aim at memorializing lost loved ones, including a special effigy burn that signifies the letting go of grief,” explains Justin. “We hope attendees gain a new appreciation and excitement for life after Sol Fest.”

On Sunday, the fire-spinning troupe will burn the effigy in a ‘conclave’ performance. Exhilarating moments like this are sure to mark Sol Fest as an annual experience for making sense of change and embracing the irreplaceable gift of life. And the solar spirit of Quentin will remain at the heart of all this growing community makes possible.

“I think we’re creating something that is so intimate; the team is putting their energy into this for Q,” says Dillion. “We’re doing this to create an experience out of love.”

This article was originally published through Background Noise.