The Loveliest DIY Music Festival in Auburn returns for Aubfest V on Saturday. The project spearheaded by festival founder Ashley Spencer has grown into a once-a-semester tradition and serves as Auburn’s premier showcase for local artists.
What started as an idea that Spencer grew into a passion has manifested into an all-day event at local ATV recreation park Boggin’ On The Plains. Aubfest is first and foremost a music festival but promotes and celebrates a community of scrappy go-getters with a do-it-yourself spirit.
“There’s a lot of roughness around the edges,” Spencer said. “But it’s beautiful to me because everybody’s hands are on deck. We don’t have the most polish and funding to make this something really extravagant, but we have so much love from so many people. You can feel it when you’re there. You can feel how many people care about the event and want to help and leave their mark on it”
That love has built a loyal and growing community around Aubfest over the first four festivals, with artists responding to that energy just as much as the fans.
“We're always really excited about the people,” Issac Hayes of Brunch With Rosie said. “It's so cool seeing this community grow, and with each Aubfest more and more people come out to support the bands and the festival.”
“We are excited to perform at Aubfest again because we love the community and the artists,” Eli Strange of The Review said, before adding his elevator pitch: “We’ll be very sad if nobody comes."
“People should come to Aubfest because it has the best lineup of original music in the area for a bargain of a price.” James Berryhill of The Band Silhouette said. “There is so much untapped talent in our area, in a town where local music doesn’t get the spotlight it deserves.”
The musical performances at Aubfest will range from numerous genres, styles, and tastes with something for everyone to enjoy. Each performer brings their own vibe to the festival, and Aubfest is never one thing. Multiple artists and bands will perform at Aubfest V. Seasoned Aubfest veterans, the Band Silohoutte, Brunch with Rosie and Lunar Parque are slated to return to the music festival.
The Band Silhouette
An indie-rock band originally from Auburn and now based in Huntsville, The Band Silhouette maintains a perfect track record at Aubfest with their fifth performance at the festival. Band members James Berryhill, Dylan Deal, Brenner Oakes and Will Scarpa are excited to bring their eclectic tastes to fans with songs from their debut album “Seedlings” as well as unreleased original music.
“Each time we have played has been better than the last,” Berryhill said. “We have seen the festival grow in numbers and quality, but our favorite part is the community that is fostered from the event.”
The Band Silhouette performs on the main stage at 1 p.m.
Lunar Parque
Lunar Parque is bringing emotion and excitement with their second performance at Aubfest, coming back to help people connect with a mystic vibe.
Going right along with the Halloween theme, Lunar Parque said, “With Sally Little’s enchanting lyricism, John Evans’ supernatural bass grooves, Zavier Shaw’s bone rattling drums, and Harry Downe’s mystical guitar licks, you can prepare for Lunar Parque to cast a spell on you. Try not to get too entranced, or they may steal your hearts...and brains! It’s in your cards to see one of Auburn’s most spine-chilling alternative neo-soul bands, Lunar Parque, at AubFest V.”
Lunar Parque performs on the main stage at 7:30 p.m.
Brunch With Rosie
Brunch With Rosie is a band that is self-admittedly “technically” indie-rock but doesn't want to be limited by genre expectations. Based in Auburn, the trio of John Evans, Issac Hayes and Hunter Price combined each others’ styles and tastes for a unique sound, and formed a friendship rooted in music.
“Hopefully when people watch us, they see three best friends doing what they love most,” Hayes said.
When asked about what makes Aubfest exciting, Hayes said, “We’re always really excited about the people. The atmosphere in general is something we look forward to every year.” As for what makes Brunch With Rosie so compelling, Hayes added, “John Evans plays bass for you and looks good doing it.”
Brunch With Rosie performs on the main stage at 8:30 p.m.
Spencer, along with a board of directors and staff members comprised of Ariabel Barjis, Aiden Calderon-Wyant, Noah Dimon, Tyler Padgett and Carter Zane, joined forces to put together a lineup that includes twelve musical acts on the main stage and eight other events in a brand new community stage, which they dubbed the “Vibes Tent.”
Acting as a second stage for the festival, the Vibes Tent will host a variety of acts and activities, ranging from yoga in the morning to comics and poetry later in the day. Pursuing inspiration is a concept central to what Aubfest is about, and the Vibes Tent spreads that message beyond music alone.
“For anything you do, if you have a strong inspiration that you can’t shake, just keep going for it,” Spencer said. “For me the inspiration to start Aubfest was astoundingly strong. If you feel that divine inspiration to do anything creative, good, artistic or hard definitely go for it.”
Aubfest V kicks off at Boggin’ On The Plains on Nov. 2 at 9 a.m.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
Jack Fawcett is a sports production major from San Diego, California. He started with The Plainsman in January 2023.
