Skidfest to celebrate 20th year

On the morning of April 22, 1990, Kevin Francis awoke early to find snow in his Skid Row backyard. But a few hours later, the same narrow yard was filled with hundreds of partygoers and the sounds of bands in what became the first Skidfest.

"After we ran out of all the beer, and people were soaked, and they moved one of the last bands inside, people were still coming, they were still paying, and they were still staying," said Francis, the original coordinator and developer of Skidfest. "It was absolutely unbelievable — just the whole sense of community."


This Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of Skidfest, and this gathering has turned into a biannual tradition maintained by the residents of Skid Row.


"Students there can't envision life at the university without it," Francis said. "It's almost like if you have a singer on stage, and he leaps into the audience and each pair of hands passes it to the next pair of hands."


Senior Skidfest organizer Katie DuPont, the most recent set of hands carrying Skidfest, realizes the importance of the event's history.


"It is kind of a Newark tradition at this point. I think a lot of people look forward to it every semester," DuPont said. "As long as it doesn't get out of control it's a win-win for a lot of different people."


Francis described the event as generally peaceful due to the relationship he built with the City of Newark during the first year of Skidfest. In a move he described as "either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid," Francis contacted the police department before the event and took responsibility for any potential complaints about Skidfest.


"I figured that if one person could take the brunt of it, it might give a possibility to happen again under better circumstances," Francis said. "As it was, we never had any complaints."


That peaceful atmosphere was maintained until last fall's event, during which a man was stabbed, Lt. Brian Henry of the Newark Police Department said. But, he maintained that Skidfest is usually incident free.


"Typically Skidfest is rather uneventful crime wise. It's usually not quite as bad as people expect," Henry said.


Henry attributed this to the Skidfest organizers' application for and adherence to a city permit, which prohibits the sale of alcohol at the event as well as the use of glass bottles. In addition, Skidfest organizers have to purchase insurance and abide by the city's noise ordinance.


This measure sets Skidfest apart from other festivals, such as Wilburfest from the late 1980s and the now defunct Chapelfest.

"The problem with Chapelfest is that no one applied for a permit," Henry said. "In order to get a permit you have to have someone to come forward as the person organizing the event and to take responsibility to ensure any conditions are met."


David Muddiman of Starground Concert Audio, who has been providing the sound equipment for Skidfest since 1992, also attributed the success of the event to the work of the organizers and residents of Skid Row.

"Any group, any generation wants to dabble with the formula. They've done that. They've tried different things," Muddiman said. "It's gets bigger and better. It's more coordinated every year."


Muddiman has also helped improve the event by providing better sound and lighting equipment, making the experience enjoyable no matter where a person is standing along the row, he said. The cramped quarters have caused some technical problems, but Muddiman said the location makes the event unique.


"It's not about drinking, you can drink somewhere else," Muddiman said. "You can't see a live band in someone's backyard every day."


Junior and two-year resident of Skid Row Vaudie Puckett said he enjoys the atmosphere of Skidfest the most.


"It's a gathering of the youth that enjoy jam bands and dancing and drinking in a controlled environment where like minds can get together and have fun," Puckett said.


He admitted that having nearly 1,000 people flood his backyard is sometimes a hassle, and has implemented a wristband system to limit the number of people entering his house.


"They don't see that we live here," Puckett said. "Sometimes it is a pain putting on Skidfest, but it is totally worth it."


Since the first Skidfest, all proceeds have been given to a charity of the residents' choosing, starting with a $850 donation to AIDS Delaware in 1990. This spring's Skidfest will benefit Students for Haiti.

Francis said he will be making a return visit this year to speak to the crowd. He said he was surprised the event has lasted as long as it has, but believes the atmosphere hasn't changed over its 20 year history.


"Looking at all the faces, looking at all the fun, it's like nothing has changed," Francis said. "The only real difference is that everyone has a cell phone."