The annual Purple Hatter’s Ball which is held at Spirit of the Suwannee Music in Live Oak, Florida is gearing up for another incredible event in memory of Rachel Morningstar Hoffman, the young lady who was tragically murdered while acting as an informant for Florida police in a drug bust that went completely wrong.
The festival will take place from May 8th-10th, with a pre-party on Thursday, May 7th. There are a number of reasons why this is a great festival to hit up early in the season, and we figured we would let you in on a few:
The Lineup:
Lotus, Nahko & Medicine for the People, TAUK, Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaries, Toubab Krewe, The Werks, Random Rab, Roosevelt Collier’s Suwannee Jam?! Add in a whole lineup of other great bands, and you have yourself a great weekend of music.
The Rachel Morningstar Foundation:
The event benefits the Rachel Morningstar Foundation which, according to a press release, “exists to help the public understand the benefit of guidelines for law enforcement’s use of confidential informants (CIs). Currently each state, county, city, college campus or law enforcement agency sets their own standards, laws or guidelines as it relates to recruiting and using CIs. The efforts of this foundation are dedicated to the memory of Rachel Morningstar Hoffman (December 17, 1984 – May 7, 2008) a 23-year-old Florida State University graduate. She was murdered while acting as a police informant during a drug sting that started on May 7, 2008. The first of its kind in the U.S., Rachel’s Law, a Florida law that went into effect on July 1, 2009, established new guidelines for law enforcement when dealing with confidential informants.”
Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park is as Good of a Festival Grounds as it Gets
There is a reason Suwannee holds a number of incredible festivals on-site throughout the year, including the String Cheese Incident’s Hulaween, Bear Creek, AURA Music Festival, Wanee Music Festival and several others. Nestled in 800 acres of Spanish moss-draped oak and cypress trees along the Suwannee River, several outdoors activities are readily available, include swimming, canoeing, kayaking, disc golf and biking. The park also offers guest comforts including private cabins, all-purpose RV sites, a general store, full-service restaurant, free showers, indoor bathrooms and water stations.
Great Weather and Cheap Travel
The weather in Florida during the month of May is about as perfect as it gets during the entire year. You don’t have to worry about waking up in your tent because you are sweating profusely at the crack of dawn. Temperatures are perfect during the day, and cool off just a bit at night which makes it ideal for that late-night dance rage. It’s been a long winter, don’t you think you need a little fun in the sun?
Win (2) tickets to the Purple Hatter’s Ball by entering the contest below: