Groundhog Fest debuts with three-day musical party in Burlington

Zaq Schuster remembers attending a music festival in New York City that was held in only two venues. Does a festival that small even count as a festival, Schuster wondered?

Then Schuster thought of the Waking Windows festival that for more than a decade has unfolded over multiple days in multiple venues. That event has been a big hit for the small city of Winooski; could something similar happen across the Winooski River in the bigger city of Burlington?

Schuster and other Burlington music fans will find out this weekend, when the initial Groundhog Fest begins Friday, Jan. 31 and concludes Sunday, Feb. 2 (Groundhog Day, of course). Schuster’s electronic act Roost.World will perform as will many other bands of the moment in Burlington, including Robber Robber, Acqua Mossa, Lily Seabird, Mikahely, Greaseface and Sabouyouma.

Out-of-town DJs and musicians will also take part in Groundhog Fest. New York artist James K plays a live set on the final day of the event Feb. 2.

“I definitely tried to get my favorites in there,” said Schuster, who uses they/them pronouns. Posters for the festival list the acts alphabetically, not with large print for headliners and smaller print for other acts like many festivals do. Schuster said they dislike the “hierarchy font” other festivals employ.

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