Outward positivity but inner despair is an all too common theme of the Midwest. Due to everything from the harsh winters to the boring, dead-end jobs, the region has been described as “misery loves company.” When the weather does clear up, outdoor festivals are commonly put on to enjoy it, and the ensuing rush of booze-soaked social interaction reveals a windstorm of self-importance, denial, and passive-aggressiveness.
From a woman who is consumed by guilt-tripping her transgressor husband, to a carny who takes a self-righteous millenial couple down a peg, The Festival explores the dark underbelly of an otherwise joyous and cathartic occasion.