Dusk Music Festival is an annual festival that started in 2016 and continues this year from Nov. 13 – 14.
Characterized by variety of music genres, from EDM to local indie bands, Dusk grew from starting as an idea by University of Arizona graduates to a tangible festival.
UA alumni Steve Stratigouleas and his long time friend John Rallis were brainstorming business ideas and their dream of creating a music festival. Soon after, Page Repp, another UA graduate and part-time DJ, aided Stratigouleas and Rallis with their aspiration for an exciting experience.
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Pete Turner became interested in their idea as food would continue to be a staple of Tucson and represented at the festival. Turner had just opened one of the more popular restaurant-chains around the UA, Illegal Pete’s. Today, Dusk has a wide selection of local restaurants and food trucks including Fresco Pizzeria & Pastaria and Eegee’s.
Dusk creators wanted to include something for everyone. The music festival is distinct for its diverse music choices that include national and local artists. This year, in an effort to showcase local talent, Dusk has a Discovery Stage where Arizona-based artists will perform.
When the first festival took place the headliners included A-Trak, Calexico and Danny Brown. The headliners for 2021 are Diplo, Jimmy Eat World and Grouplove.
The festival’s headliners have progressed from artists with millions of listeners to those with tens of millions of listeners. Dusk, however, still continues to provide local and smaller artists an opportunity to be heard.
Each year Dusk becomes more alluring as it introduces local art exhibitions, play stations with backyard games and Tucson shops. This year over 30 artists will play across three stages at Jácome Plaza. The history of Dusk heartens the festival’s values and sense of community. Tickets are on sale now on the Dusk Music Festival website.
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