SubOctave Music Festival near La Crosse growing in second year

Electric music fest features 30 hours
live music in three-day, nonstop party

It started with a bunch of friends from La Crosse heading off to some lone island on the Mississippi River to party.

Five years later, it’s a growing music festival with art, games, light and fire shows and, most importantly, over 30 hours of live music.

The SubOctave Music Festival begins at 10 a.m. today at the Outback Ranch near Houston, Minn. and the music goes until 6 a.m. Sunday morning.

Along with the nearly 40 DJs and electric bands on the docket, there will be activities such as life-size skee-ball, life-size beer pong, life-size jenga (there seems to be a theme) (also, it’s unclear whether you have to drink an entire garbage can of beer). Oh, and most importantly, since it could be a hot one, there will be a 150-foot slip ‘n slide to help cool down (and maybe call that your shower).

Along those same lines, organizers plan on having water stations and mist zones, but are encouraging everyone to bring their squirt guns in hopes of having Minnesota’s biggest squirt gun festival, as well.

Around 400 attended last year – the first year – but co-creator Brendan Leis expects 1,000 this weekend. Those attending shouldn’t expect to sleep at the three-day, two-night campout. 

The outdoor music and light shows, which co-creator Adam Boothe said is the highlight of the show, start at noon and go until midnight outside. The party then heads indoors and plays on until 6 a.m.

Tickets can be purchased upon arrival and cost $145 (last-minute pricing). They do take credit cards for ticket purchases (not vending).

Once you’re there, expect to stay and camp. Camp-car parking on site appears to be sold out, but there’s off-site parking nearby and camping is included with your ticket.

SubOctave does not sell alcohol, but there will be vendors of all sorts for food and other items. If you wish to bring alcohol, there’s a limit to what you can bring (you’re not wheeling in a half-barrel). You can find that information here.

For other information, either go to the contact page on the website or post the Facebook event page here, and someone will likely know the answer.