Stomp The Stigma: Mental Health Music Festival Returns to Louisville August 18-19

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (August 15, 2023) – The Big Stomp, the nation’s first music festival to focus on mental health, will return August 18 - 19. The annual family-friendly event will feature more than 30 acts including funk outfit Lettuce, indie folk virtuoso Bahamas and American rock band The Heartless Bastards. The festival will again take place at Jones Field - a scenic, 90-acre nature preserve located in southeastern Jefferson County, adjacent to the Parkland’s Turkey Run park.

The Big Stomp began as an annual outreach event for the Pete Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to destigmatizing mental health and expanding access to mental health crisis intervention. About far more than just music, The Big Stomp is an immersive community experience geared toward fostering a more open and thoughtful conversation around mental health. Merging entertainment and education, fans will not only enjoy two days of live music, local food and beverage, but also have the opportunity to learn about healthy habits, practices, and mindfulness through activities.

The annual event, formerly and affectionately known as PeteFest, now in its seventh year, was founded as an extension of The Pete Foundation’s work to destigmatize mental health and provide awareness of much-needed community resources. The foundation was created by the Jones family following the loss of their 23-year-old son, Pete in 2016. Like many survivors, the Jones family channeled their immense loss into motivation to support others who may find themselves in a similar position. Throughout the year, in addition to The Big Stomp, the foundation offers a number of resources to the community, including hosting regular QPR Trainings, a nationally recognized, evidence-based practice for those who desire to learn the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond to it.

Onsite activations include:

● Heel Dog, Heal and Music Therapy will bring therapy dogs for guests to relax and engage with. A portion of the festival’s youth ticket sales will go back to the Norton Children's Hospital Foundation.

● Open Doors, Open Minds to connect individuals with mental health professionals and advocates.

● Farmer’s Market with local produce, educational information on home-grown Kentucky products and how “food as medicine” can assist with a healthy mind.

● The Big Morning Ritual will offer morning yoga and a dance party.

● Love, Tito's Post Office - The Tito’s Handmade Vodka Airstream will be on-site, featuring postcards that attendees can mail to loved ones.

● Carmichael's Bookmobile with a variety of offerings, including books on a number of mental health topics.

● Wellness Club will provide bio-hacking tools that provide mental health benefits like Vibration Therapy, Brain Tap Headsets, Handheld Cryo and B12 shots.

● Zen Den will encourage participants to check out Louisville Silent Disco headphones and choose between a variety of three meditation soundtracks. Meditation and Mindfulness Workshops throughout the weekend, complete with comfortable yoga mats and cushions, plus farm-grown flower displays to create a full sensory experience.

● A zero-proof mocktail lounge offering an elevated sober space experience. Ritual mocktails served up by The Mocktail Project. Plus, lounge seating and card games.

● Equine Therapy - a dedicated area for guided group activity with the horses and opportunities to learn about the mental health benefits of equine therapy.

● Hammock Havens throughout the Big Stomp festival field for patrons to rest and relax between their favorite bands.

● Art installations throughout the venue by local artists, including a live-painted mural.

● Performances by CirqueLouie.

Two-day passes, VIP offerings and camping passes are on sale now with the full lineup also available on the festival website.

While planning a trip to Louisville, guests can download a copy of Louisville Tourism’s annual Visitor Guide to see the city's top attractions and bourbon distilleries. Visitors also can get additional city attraction, lodging and dining assistance at gotolouisville.com.