The singer of The Airborne Toxic Event charged into the picture-perfect Gulf during the band's performance Sunday at DeLuna Fest. / Jimmy Nguyen/GoPensacola.com
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It was a good day for a swim.
So the lead singer of The Airborne Toxic Event decided to get waterborne — leading fans into the Gulf during the band’s performance Sunday afternoon.
That was the DeLuna Fest weekend in a nutshell. Perfect weather, perfect setting, great music — and bands and fans cutting loose and having fun at Pensacola Beach.
But while the people who came had a good time, attendees couldn’t ignore the fact that – particularly on Sunday – this year’s festival had lower attendance than they expected.
Scott Mitchell, managing partner with festival producers Five Flags Tourism Group, said that he was happy with the weather and the turnout and that this year’s festival was better than the last.
“If there were 40,000 people here, someone would ask why there’s not 50,000,” Mitchell said Sunday afternoon. “This year was a festival experience. Last year was a beach concert. All things considered, I think it’s been great.”
Mitchell said he definitely plans to bring DeLuna Fest back to Pensacola Beach next year.
“Why wouldn’t I? We’re building a brand,” he said. “A lot of good stuff is coming out of this year. Everyone is walking around with smiles on their faces, having a good time.”
Attendance figures were not immediately available, but Mitchell acknowledged that aerial photos published Sunday by the News Journal show a site that looks less populated than that from the first year. He attributes that to this year’s much larger site footprint, with five stages spread across a larger stretch of the beach.
Still, when Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Wanda Jackson took the main stage Sunday afternoon, just dozens of folks stood on the sand below.
But that didn’t mean Jackson didn’t have her fans out in the crowd.
“She is unreal; she is the woman-Elvis,” said Montie Lewing, 25, of Pensacola. “She literally is the Queen of Rockabilly. She kills it.”
Many of the musicians on the bill commented on how beautiful Pensacola Beach was this weekend. Darren King, Mutemath’s drummer, said the band played in Pensacola a few years ago, and they’re happy to be back.
“It’s gorgeous, and there’s tons of butterflies out,” he observed.
Mutemath’s performance closed DeLuna Fest Sunday night.
“We’ve been playing in small, black, dingy, asbestos-filled bars for the past few weeks, so we’re excited to breathe,” King said. “This is awesome to get to play outside at night.”
While musicians fell in love with Pensacola Beach, fans fell in love with new bands.
John Loss enjoyed listening to the rootsy Honey Island Swamp Band.
“I love these guys,” said Loss, 51, of Pensacola. “I’ve never heard them before, but it’s good blues-rock.”
Even Loss noted thin crowds on Sunday.
He said he thinks more people would’ve come if there were more variety to the lineup. That was a sentiment echoed by other music fans throughout the day.
“I personally thought it was amazing, but it wasn’t for all ages,” said Brittany Hard, 25, of Pensacola. “Most people who I’ve talked to said they had no idea who was playing.”
She said most people at the festival seemed to range from 12 to 30.
“Pensacola needs something more than that, and I think Pensacola’s paycheck needs more than this, too.”
Thom Goff of Navarre thought adding country acts would draw more music fans. Still, he and his wife Priscilla met a lot of new people.
“We met 40 or 50 new friends,” Goff said.
He also noted that the boardwalk hasn’t been buzzing like he’d expect it to be.
“The boardwalk is so dead,” he said. “Next year they need to include the boardwalk.”
While Papa’s Pizza manager Nick Burleigh said that the boardwalk pizzeria’s business has tripled or quadrupled this weekend, not all business was booming on the boardwalk.
“It was busier last year — we were expecting more,” said Michele Ciftci, the owner of the Boardwalk Café on Portofino Boardwalk. We prepared for it and bought a lot of food and ice cream.”
She said that the combination of no music on the sound-side of the island and the Greek and National Shrimp festivals this weekend have probably contributed to slower foot traffic.
“It’s been really busy on the weekends with the weather being so nice, so this is kind of a letdown,” Ciftci said.
Earlier in the afternoon, Chuck and Melinda Gardner of Pensacola said they had a great time at the festival.
“It’s awesome to have your feet in the water and the stage right there,” Melinda said. The couple, who were getting their feet wet in the calm blue Gulf waters and taking in the high-energy groove of The Constellations, said they love having a music festival right at home.
“I hope it really builds up over the years,” Chuck said.
PNJ Entertainment Editor Julio Diaz contributed to this report.
