While Riot Fest—which will celebrate its 15th year anniversary this year in September—is arguably Chicago’s largest and most well-known festival of all things punk (and more), another local festival that leans heavy on punk will celebrate its fifth year in the summer of 2019.
350 Fest began in 2015 as a one-year celebration of 350 Brewing, a brewery and taproom located in south suburban Tinley Park. Since its inaugural year year, which featured more breweries than bands at the time, 350 Fest has expanded each year, adding more bands and more booze to its lineup.
The Descendents headline 350 Fest in 2018. Photo by Aaron Cynic.
Last week, organizers announced the fest would take things a step further this year, moving from a one-day festival to three days and announced the first 13 bands. Among those headlining will be punk-ska legends The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and punk-cover supergroup Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Rounding out the lineup (so far) will be Airstream Futures, Direct Hit!, Bollweevils, Buck-O-Nine, Pulley, Iron Chic, Much The Same, The Suicide Machines, Anthony Ranieri, Lucky Boys Confusion, and The Menzingers.
Reel Big Fish at 350 Fest in 2017. Photo by Aaron Cynic.
The gang has pulled out some pretty big hits in previous years, with the Descendents headlining in 2018 alongside Less Than Jake, the Smoking Popes and A Wilhelm Scream, and Face to Face and Reel Big Fish topping the bill in 2017. Between how quickly 350 Fest has grown and the seemingly insatiable and ever-increasing hunger for fests featuring punk both nostalgic and new, it’s a pretty safe bet organizers are going to have a few more interesting announcements in the coming weeks and months.
Photographer Aaron Cynic caught 350 Fest in both 2018 and 2017. Here’s a gallery of some of his favorite photos from those years:
Three-day passes and packages are on sale now, along with a limited number of single-day tickets. 350 Fest takes place at the Tinley Park Convention Center August 23-25. You can purchase tickets here. 