LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A Louisville music festival is breaking down the stigma around mental health with modern programming, education and awareness.
The Big Stomp Music Festival took place Friday and Saturday at Waterfront Park in downtown Louisville. The festival was created to destigmatize mental health and increase access to mental health resources, and organizers say it’s the first music festival in the nation focused on mental health.
The two-day festival featured over 30 artists across three stages. Festival headliners included BADBADNOTGOOD, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, The Black Angels and Bully.
“Music is a unifying force in this world that can heal a lot of our mental health trauma,” festival-goer Israel McCullough said. “This is something we definitely need.”
Big Stomp also offers equestrian therapy, art therapy and meditation.
“It’s not something you can experience at a music festival, so everyone gets to experience it and enjoy it,” Big Stomp’s chief operating officer Molly Jones said. “This is so important because mental health and mental illness isn’t one thing. It manifests in different ways and there are different treatments.”
An image from “The Big Stomp” held at Waterfront Park on July 27, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky.
Now in its eighth year, the festival has traditionally been held in eastern Jefferson County but moved to Waterfront Park this year.
“To achieve our mission we need to reach more people, so we wanted this festival to be more accessible to everyone,” Jones said.
Festival attendees praised the move to the center of town.
“Waterfront Park sits between several neighborhoods and zip codes where mental health issues are a major concern,” McCullough said. “We absolutely need this kind of work in Louisville’s urban core.”
Katie Ward, a functional movement and posture coach at Realigned Body, created the Zen Den program, which is designed to help people recharge and get back in the groove at music festivals.
Ward said the festival was important because it allowed people to talk about uncomfortable subjects in a safe space.
“It’s an energy generated by people with pure intentions for mental health awareness and eradicating stigma,” Ward says. “It’s a place where you can really let your most authentic self shine.”
The festival hopes to start thoughtful conversations that lead to healthier mindsets.
“We have prejudices because we don’t understand it and we’re afraid of it,” Jones said.
Big Stomp, formerly known as “Petefest”, was founded in 2017. The festival pays tribute to Pete Jones, a Louisville native who took his own life in December 2016.
All proceeds from the music festival will go to the Pete Foundation. For more information on the Pete Foundation, click here.
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