Music festivals are generally associated with picturesque landscapes located far away from the cop-calling ears of irritated neighbors. From mountains and forests to lakes and deserts, the chemistry between music and nature is one of the greatest attractions of the music festival. So when winter rolls around, what’s a Midwestern festi kid to do on New Year’s Eve? For those regions that are currently being bombarded by snow and/or subzero temperatures, an outdoor event is a frightening prospect. Snowta NYE in Minneapolis is offering all the magic of a music festival tucked cozily inside a sheltered oasis.
While the outdoors play a large role in the appeal of a music festival, the organizers of Snowta NYE are offering a wide array of interactive activities as well as all the lysergic visual art your pineal gland can handle. "Snowta NYE is a revolutionary, experiential, multi-stage indoor music festival, the very first of its kind for Minneapolis and the surrounding Midwest markets,” says Taylor Winum, co-founder and talent buyer of the event. “Aside from the massive music lineup, Snowta NYE will bring virtual reality demos, skateboarding, art galleries and carnival rides — including a Ferris Wheel — into our immersive music festival environment."
The core crew, which consists of Alex Heiligman, Taylor Winum, Zack Chazin and David Liberman, is best known for organizing the jam band, bass and dubstep driven Infrasound Festival which takes place twice a year in Wisconsin. Alex Heiligman has long been a visionary behind the growth of the electronic music community in Minneapolis, a city more widely known for its legendary hip hop scene. He started TC Presents in 2009 and has turned his company into one of the top tier concert promoters in the Twin Cities. For a number of years, Heiligman has held the largest New Year’s Eve party in Minnesota and is now ready to ascend to a higher level of entertainment. The first annual Snowta NYE will be featuring two main stages in two convention halls with an additional third stage and VIP lounge in the Minneapolis Convention Center.
The lineup boasts festival legends such as Tipper, Big Gigantic, Infected Mushroom, Bogtrotter, PROF, Hippie Sabotage and even Waka Flocka Flame, who adds a unique twist to the usual festival curation. Artists such as Big Gigantic have expressed their excitement for welcoming in 2017 with the festival community of the Midwest. “There [is] something very special about Minnesota and the Midwest,” says Dom Lalli of Big Gigantic in a recent interview with the Snowta NYE crew. “What we noticed was unlike some other parts of the country, there was zero angst...everyone [is] just there appreciating music and having a great time. We’ve fallen in love with the middle of the country.”
Just like the success they have found with Infrasound Festival, the Snowta NYE team will undoubtedly create a mind-melting, body-gyrating, hair-whipping, one-of-a-kind experience. While the event is heavily influenced by the electronic music scene, they are bringing in other genres as well, offering a home for all types of music lovers. Snowta NYE is a place of innovation, connection, and community. Even as the frigid air continues to mercilessly exist outside, there will be no warmer place than the dancefloor at Snowta NYE.