Approaching its fifth year, New Orleans based BUKU Music and Art Project has been a fan-favorite since its conception. This small yet powerful festival held each March boasts world-renowned talent on diverse and intimate stages. This allows both the artists and the attendees the opportunity to interact with one another in a way that not many big festivals can.
With two outdoor and two indoor stages, as well as a VIPs-only party boat, fans can’t imagine their favorite urban fest to be held anywhere but Mardi Gras World. With it’s breathtaking backdrop of the Mississippi river, not to mention the home to several Mardi Gras floats when they aren’t parading down the streets of the city. Held only weeks after New Orleans most well-known holiday, the spirit of Fat Tuesday is transformed into the lifestyle locals know as being “TOO BUKU”. The state of mind that the party never stops and the wilder and crazier you are the better, and the theme surrounding this incredible event. Whether you’re a seasoned vet or this is your first time attending BUKU, there is no end to the fun and friendships you will find.
To help explain this beautiful phenomenon, we asked fans to describe their favorite parts about BUKU and we got an overwhelming response from passionate fans who stay reppin’ the Bukrewe long after the music dies down.
Urban Atmosphere
BUKU Music & Art Project is held at one of the, if not THE best urban venue in the US. Mardi Gras World sits just along the Mississippi River with a view of the old power plant and is the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable weekend. Even people who prefer camping festivals and usually avoid indoor venues will feel at home here. With two outdoor and two indoor stages, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Plus all of the hidden nooks of Bukudom to explore, like the Back Alley stage, hallway of art, and net hammock (just to name a few). Although an urban festival, BUKU carries just as much spirit of adventure as an outdoor camping fest would.
Got VIP? Hop on the S.S. Buku, the exclusive boat stage with an open bar and the wildest group to party with.
“I’ve always enjoyed the backdrop of the festival, the power plant and the river visible from the main stage is one of the coolest parts to me”
“Back alley vibes are a huge fav when discovering new music. The urban, city feel being along the Mississippi river. The diversity of the music played bc that’s what New Orleans is all about.”
Family Vibe
Maybe because New Orleans is one of the most southernly hospitable cities, or due to the small intimate vibe of the festival, there is an extremely strong family atmosphere surrounding BUKU fest. Most people who have gone to BUKU will return year after year, and as new fans join the party they become hooked as well. Every year, BUKU outdoes itself whether it’s in the amazing line-up, the food, or even just the beauty of being encompassed by such an excellent vibe. The artists love being in New Orleans, and the fans equally love to see them in such a unique city.
“The LOVE that is spread between the artists and the Buku festival goers!! I met some beautiful people and had a BEAUTIFUL time as well!”
“Buku is more than just a music festival. It is an experience that captures the essence and culture of New Orleans and presents it in a way that appeals to the amazing crowd they bring each year.”
“My favorite part of Buku is that idea that everyone who attends is family. It’s very welcoming and involves it’s attendees in numerous ways.”
BUKREWE, BUKREATURES, BUKRAZY
BUKU is one of the most creatively marketed festivals in the world. Ask any BUKU fan and they’ll tell you all about the four hilarious Bukreatures who have become not only apart of the festival itself, but occasionally come out for other local New Orleans events as well. BUKU even has it’s own style of writing, art, and the fans have taken it upon themselves to immerse into the culture. Every year people come from high and low, and from all walks of life to celebrate the strong culture that BUKU has created for itself.
For the line-up release, Buku announced the artists playing by releasing trading cards and caricatures for fans to piece together the line-up It was an insanely creative idea and just another reason for fans to love BUKU.
Local artist Maya Jane Jevans a huge Buku fan and an integral part of the BUKU culture has designed much of the art you’ll see surrounding the BUKU brand. Attending since the first time BUKU opened its gates, Maya helped us explain the culture behind BUKU fest.
“Saying BUKU is only two days is like saying Mardi Gras is only a week long. BUKU’s twelfth night is the date announcement, which kicks off months of excitement and preparation that energizes the whole city (and clearly the Internet as well) until the very last afterparty dies down and we all crash into an Ash Wednesday level of exhaustion. Like how Mardi Gras beads are never out of style, the BUKU brand is proudly worn and repped all year round. You see someone on the street or at another festival in a BUKU shirt and it’s like an open invitation for a high five, because we’re all members of the BUKrewe and that makes us friends by default. BUKU is a season and a holiday, a lifestyle, an infectious and undeniable spirit, a community for artists, musicians and party monsters. BUKU is a noun: a place in New Orleans, a home, personified by the incredibly special people that produce and attend it. BUKU is a verb: to get TOOBUKU is to revel New Orleans-style, a level of turn-up not for the faint of heart or average joe. BUKU is an adjective: to be TOOBUKU means to be a tastemaker, weird, wild, progressive, creative. If your BUKU is only two days you’re doing it wrong. If your BUKU is only a festival you’re doing it wrong. That’s why I love BUKU.”
Art
One of the most unique and monumental parts about BUKU is the opportunity to watch art come alive before your very eyes. As those two days go by, the artists transform a blank canvas into some incredible pieces of art. You can go inside the Float Den for an hour or two, and when you come out the art will be different than the last time you saw it. Once the sunset hits over the scaffolding with the river as the backdrop, it is one of the most beautiful sights you will ever see.
“Watching live artwork come together throughout the night!”
Intimate Festival Yet Stacked Lineup
BUKU may not be the largest festival, but it makes up for it with an incredibly stacked lineup. All day and every day, there are amazing artists playing at all times. No matter where you are, you are guaranteed to have an incredible time. Between surprise pop-up acts and street performers, the Bukreatures roaming around interacting with you, not to mention the various corners to explore, you will have a blast the entire time. Having such an intimate setting also allows you to easily move from one place to another, and not miss even a second of the party.
“BUKU is such a natural festival, nothing feels forced, and everything is so close-by and tight-knit that you are never far away from what you want to do. There is no pressure to be in any one place, because every inch of BUKU is amazing at all times.”
“I love the fact that while BUKU compared to some festivals is smaller scale, it never fails to pack the punch with an incredible artist pick and all-around good crowd vibes. The artists on the lineup aren’t the typical main stage acts either, it’s a varying array of talent and a lot of extremely talented up and coming artists.”
Fashion Forward
While BUKU is a festival with some of the best branding and merchandise, it is also a very fashion forward event. Maybe since it’s one of the earlier spring festivals in the year, it seems to kick off and set the trends for the following festival season.
“When you see a stranger wearing Buku merchandise, you feel a connection with them and that’s really cool.”
These are some of the our trend predictions for 2016: glitter roots, leggings, and crop tops
If BUKU is a festival that you have considered, but haven’t taken the plunge yet, don’t even waste another second because this event takes the cake as one of the most special weekends of the year. Even after just a taste of BUKU, you’ll be counting down the next 365 days just waiting until you can get TOO BUKU yet again.
For ticket-holding fam, come dressed in your urban chic ready for an off-the-chain party that doesn’t stop til the doors close on the very last after-party because BUKU promises to be the wildest party you’ve been to this year.
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