Southern California’s Punk In The Park brought a weekend crowd of nearly 20,000 punk rock and craft beer fanatics to Oak Canyon Park in Orange County November 6 & 7 for two days and two stages of music from over two dozen bands, led by headliners Pennywise (Saturday) and NOFX (Sunday), plus craft beer tasting from more than 40 of the region’s best craft breweries. The event brought the 2021 festival year to a close for Brew Ha Ha Productions – capping the biggest year to date for the premier craft beer & music festival producers.
In addition to Pennywise and NOFX, Punk In The Park featured performances from The Vandals, Me First And The Gimme Gimmes, Lagwagon, Bouncing Souls, Fear, Strung Out, TSOL, a surprise appearance by Voodoo Glow Skulls and more. Fans 21+ were able to enjoy three hours of craft beer tasting each day from some of the best craft breweries in the region, including Orange County’s newest brewery (co-owned by Brew Ha Ha’s Cameron Collins), Rad Beer Co., plus Artifex Brewing, Belching Beaver, Brewery X, Stone Brewing, Wild Barrel Brewing and many more.
“Fans of craft beer and punk rock showed up ready to party for the sold-out first day of the inaugural two-day Punk In The Park beer and music festival,” wrote Kelli Skye Fadroski for the Orange County Register. “The excitement was contagious…It was also a family-friendly affair, with some attendees bringing kids along. There was an adorable new generation of punk rock fans on-site dancing, play-moshing and eating pizza.”
Pennywise brought their friends to the party for Saturday night’s closing set, with NOFX’s Fat Mike joining the band for a cover of Bad Religion’s “Do What You Want,” while Jakob Nowell of LAW (son of Sublime’s late Bradley Nowell) took vocal duties for a cover of Sublime’s “Same In The End.” NOFX returned the favor Sunday night, calling out Pennywise’s Fletcher Dragge on stage, as well as being joined by Dance Hall Crashers’ Karina Deniké. Other highlights included always-humorous sets from The Vandals and Me First And The Gimme Gimmes (joined by Fat Mike and “traveling Gimme” CJ Ramone), and Lagwagon playing their complete album Double Plaidinum.
“Punk In The Park has been a long time coming. It was supposed to happen prior to the pandemic, and it was a very frustrating time waiting for the all-clear for an event of this scale,” said festival creator Cameron Collins of Brew Ha Ha Productions. “One thing is certain: IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT! I have never seen so much camaraderie, excitement and enthusiasm at a festival we’ve produced!”
Punk In The Park was the culmination of a big year for Brew Ha Ha Productions. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Brew Ha Ha’s run of successful events also included a pair of one-day Punk In The Park events in Denver and Phoenix, three stops for the touring Punk In Drublic festival (Denver, Pittsburgh, and Worcester, MA), and Southern California events Silverado Showdown, Summer Roots and Brew Ska Ska at Oak Canyon Park, plus perennial favorites Brew Hee Haw and Boo Ha Ha at the OC Fairgrounds.
Look for 2022 Brew Ha Ha events to be announced soon.
