WASHINGTON, DC (CelebrityAccess) – In 2005, DC’s pioneering progressive and alternative rock station, WHFS, bid farewell to its spot on the airwaves after switching to a Spanish music format. While the station’s departure left a notable gap in terrestrial radio, the absence of its most iconic creation truly resonated—The HFStival.
The HFStival, which ran from 1990 to 2004 (with a couple of scattered returns), was a colossal annual event that consistently sold out in record time and brought fans together from the DMV and beyond. It featured top-tier artists from the era, including The Ramones, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane’s Addiction, No Doubt, Beck, Oasis, Blink-182, and The Offspring.
Now, Nationals Park and independent concert promoter I.M.P. are teaming up to revive HFStival, tapping into the recent surge of interest in acts from that era. Seth Hurwitz, owner of I.M.P., the 9:30 Club, The Anthem, The Atlantis and operator of Merriweather Post Pavilion and the Lincoln Theatre, grew up in Maryland and had a short stint working at WHFS when it was in operation.
The event is set to return as a one-day music festival, billed as “One Day, One Stage,” on Saturday (September 21) at Nationals Park. The lineup includes The Postal Service, Death Cab For Cutie, Incubus, Bush, Garbage, Jimmy Eat World, Girl Talk, Violent Femmes, Tonic, Filter, and Lit.
“Quintessential HFStival acts have been doing an unprecedented business, selling more tickets than they ever came close to back in the day, so it all made sense to bring back the HFStival,” said Hurwitz.
To put all fans on level playing ground, HFStival will use a lottery system open now through 11:59 pm Sunday (June 16). Lottery participants will be notified if their ticket order will be fulfilled by June 21. To register for the lottery, click HERE.
“We used this lottery system when we opened The Atlantis with 44 ‘underplay’ shows, and everyone appreciated that they had the same chance at scoring tickets,” said Hurwitz. “It’s a fan-friendly system for what’ll be a high-demand festival. This will be a show for everyone who went to HFStival in decades past and those who weren’t around to be a part of the scene.”
