The Minipax Festival was besieged by rain storms for a second year in a row, much to the chagrin of most of the attendees. To the organizers credit, they rallied to try and rectify an unfortunate situation, and if you waited out the storms you got what you paid for.
The afternoon started out beautiful with lots of sun, bass, and alcohol to get even the most tame up out of their lawn chairs. But if you were like me and in it for the long haul, then laying back on the beach for a few hours was an ideal way to spend your time before the crowds and headliners showed up to the festival. Nevertheless, throughout the day speakers pumped music and the dance areas by the beach and one of the bars were filled all day. It had the vibe of MTV Spring Break but without the trashiness and crowds.
Besides the music there were a lot of food vendors from restaurants like Shake Shack, Pinkberry, slightly smaller chains, and also the beach restaurant. These were necessary locales when running around a beach for fifteen hours. Minipax also featured artists from around Turkey and I even met a few from Spain. They were promoting their own works such as graffiti, t-shirt designs, and more traditional canvas paintings. Some booths even allowed you to spray paint designs on your own bags and such, which gave the festival the feel that it was more than just an EDM show.
But don’t have any misconceptions, the music was definitely the main draw. Unfortunately, our luck struck out right as the strobe lights went on. The rain rolled in at around 8 pm and sent people scattering for cover. Electrical issues then shut down the music and concession stands, sending a lot of people home upset and without their money back from their concessions deposits. However, this was as bad as the evening got and it really did improve from this point on.
The beach stage reopened along with a makeshift DJ booth above one of the bars in a forested area, and by this point a little rain couldn’t deter a crowd that was itching to get out from under the canopies. Showers came and went throughout but after the first downpour people didn’t seem very affected anymore as their will to have a good time overwhelmed mother nature (and at times the festival’s electrical system). Occasional power shortages at smaller booths led to jeers followed by massive cheers when the problems were quickly rectified.
By about midnight one main stage remained open and by 1 am the main draw for most of the spectators, David August, took the stage and people forgot about their lingering issues. His performances are unique in that they give you house music tracks with the energy of live instruments, and Minipax was no different.
All in all the festival gained mixed reactions from a lot of attendees who were disappointed that rain had ruined their all-night beach party. However, the staff and performers managed to win back those who stayed, despite all they were up against, and produce an event that was definitely worth the drive up from the city. I’d definitely go again, but I’d make sure to bring my poncho.
Images courtesy of Alper İlgin.
