A Story Book... Coming Sooner Than Later.

FREEDUMB FEST  ‘24 / 816 / fades out on the notes of a last echo, a reminder that absolute freedom isn’t found in the orchestrated chaos of a festival but in the quiet moments of choice and consequence. Jax turns off his drone, and Kai closes her notebook.

The story of FREEDUMB FEST  ‘24 / 816 / is not written in the lines of ticket sales or the flash of stage lights but in the cynical recounting of two observers who saw through the spectacle with the most beloved and extraordinary talent, only to be used by the suits, kings, and queens.

Laced with a healthy dose of skepticism, their narrative leaves a final question in the past decades of festival air: When the music fades, the crowds disperse, and the lights go out, what remains of freedom? 

In the end, maybe FREEDUMB FEST ‘24 / 816 / was just another storybook festival, selling pages of precariously bound promises destined to be shelved until the following summer's sequel beckons with the hollow allure of freedom rebranded.

Stepping out of the FREEDUMB FEST ‘24 / 816 / festival ephemeral realm, Jax and Kai are left with a bitter aftertaste of dust and disillusionment. 

The festival, a transient empire of excess, sold its attendees the dream of unbridled liberty.

But as the sun rose, it revealed a stark contrast to the vibrant chaos of the night before-littered grounds and weary souls, a testament to the fleeting nature of the freedom they had sought.

"Was it a mirror or a mirage?" As they pause at a red light, Kai ponders aloud, her voice filled with uncertainty. The mundane reality of traffic signals replaces the chaotic freedom of festival lights, and the contrast is stark. Jax, his eyes on the road, a half-smile on his lips, contemplates the paradox of seeking liberation in a place as controlled as any city block.

"It's both,"

 he decides, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

"It shows us what we want to see—freedom, wildness, escape. But in the end, it’s just a reflection of what we’re missing, not the thing itself." The festival's true impact on their understanding of freedom remains elusive, leaving them with more questions than answers.

Kai's mind races with thoughts of articles and stories yet to be written. "And yet, we’ll all be back next year," she says, FREEDUMB FEST ‘25 +  816 / not as a question but as a resigned fact.

 "Chasing that high, that noise, that pretense of freedom." The cyclical nature of their pursuit is as predictable as the changing seasons, a testament to the enduring allure of the festival's promise.

"Yes," Jax agrees as they pull into the familiar driveway of their shared studio loft. "Maybe this time, it will be different. Maybe this time, the echo will last a little longer."

They unpack their equipment in silence, each lost in their thoughts, the drone and recorder set aside like relics of a ritual too profound to be understood entirely or too superficial to warrant such understanding.

As the sun climbs higher, the last vestiges of FREEDUMB FEST ‘24 / 816 / dissolve in the harsh light of day, leaving nothing but plans for the next adventure and the relentless pursuit of freedom that remains, as ever, just beyond, the spirits reach.

– Jonathan Shaun Patrick Crutcher - © CHÂTEAU WANTON    

] SPIRIT OF FREEDUMB / 816 / FESTIES + [