It started with the 20th anniversary of Radio Free Lexington, and now WRFL FM’s annual festival Boomslang is in its fifth year as the University of Kentucky student- and volunteer-run radio station celebrates its silver anniversary.
Organized primarily by WRFL’s student directors with support from community volunteers, the multi-venue art and music festival expands on WRFL’s mission to provide a local platform for under-the-radar music and culture September 20 through 22.
Though the event has a central theme, it does not have a central location, as entertainment, learning and religious venues around Lexington will take part in the festival.
Events will be hosted at Al’s Bar, Buster’s Billiards & Backroom, the Carrick Theatre on the campus of Transylvania University, the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning, Cosmic Charlie’s, Embrace Church, Lynagh’s Irish Pub, Natasha’s Bistro & Bar, MoonDance at Midnight Pass in Beaumont Circle and West Sixth Brewing.
In its short five-year run, Boomslang has grown offshoot events like Filmslang, a six-film event over five days in the week leading up to Boomslang at the Lexington Public Library. There’s also the Wild Women of Poetry Slam in partnership with the Kentucky Women Writers Conference at the Carrick Theatre. There will also be community yoga at Triangle Park; the Craveslang kid’s show teaming up with Crave at MoonDance Amphitheater; Stars With Accents at the Carnegie Center; and Queerslang, a celebration of Lexington’s queer community and allies. Featuring a day of free “skillshare” workshops on topics ranging from bicycles to screen- printing, Queerslang will take place at West Sixth Brewery on the Sept. 21 from 2-5 p.m. with a late-night dance party at Cosmic Charlie’s starting at 10 p.m.
Tickets are $75 for an all-access weekend pass; several events are free and most of the other individual events will feature a limited number of presale and at-the-door tickets. All proceeds directly benefit WRFL.
Visit www. boomslangfest.com for more about this event.