Independent’s Day Captains relive legacy

By Travis Hoewischer

From the beginning, it was different from your average fest—sure, there were sponsors and vendors and all that, but it felt like… ours.

Accessible, inclusive, and put on to the public with wink-wink spirit that challenged itself to evolve, Independents’ Day is essentially every out-of-market “yay Columbus!” op-ed piece rolled into one living presentation.

And now… it’s going away.

So before they take their final bow (9.16-9.17), (614) wanted to put the proper stamp on the end of an era—not just for the festival, but for a decade of creative evolution in Columbus that has redefined our city’s culture.

The following folks are the ones tapping the beer, booking the bands, putting up tents—the “captains” of what has become a cultural gift to the city. This is ID’s evolution and its encore—in its own words.

2013 Captain Alexis Perrone:
We tucked part of the festival into Pearl Alley for Friday, exploded onto Gay Street for Saturday, and collapsed back into Pearl Alley for a jazz brunch on Sunday. There were logistics issues, weather issues, fighting with some of the neighbors, and the constant swelling of the crowd on Saturday.

Goodbye, Gay Street. For ID, 2014 was like trying to find a new house for a family that had tripled in size. Well, there is this place on the other side of the river… Still, even the ID crew wasn’t completely sold on the idea that they could make magic happen elsewhere.

2015 Captain James Allison:
The move to Franklinton was really big. I was so excited to finally be leading something in the festival, and simultaneously totally let down when I came to the retreat and the decision was made to move out of Downtown. In my head, the identity of the festival was rooted in that location. But that perception was exactly why we needed to leave, and the move turned out to be the best possible thing for us.

2014 Captain Shea Scott:
Franklinton was, in fact, a revelation—a perfect, timely combination of an arts-minded neighborhood and an artfully crafted festival merging. It felt like Independents’ Day growing up along with the city around it. And “growing up” wasn’t just discovering how to bring more people out to party, it was learning how to bring out different kinds of folks.

Visit (614) to read more testimonials from key ID players.

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