photo: Nate “Igor” Smith
Right now, as you read this, in Cave-In Rock, Illinois, there are many people with a lot of makeup on. Faygo is being sprayed, and much clown love is being dispersed. That’s right, it’s the 13th annual Gathering of the Juggalos, and even though it didn’t begin until yesterday, that didn’t stop ten arrests from happening ON THE DAY BEFORE THE FESTIVAL STARTED.
At 6am on Tuesday (7), cars had already started jamming the road that leads to the festival grounds, and the fearless people at the Village Voice were there to document it. Local police were certainly no match from rabid Juggalos from around the country, so Hardin County police called in backup from the Illinois State Police. Working in tandem, the po po patrolled the Cave-In Rock route to the festival. “We’ve had 10 or 15 in four or five hours,” says Hardin County Sherriff Joyce Cullison told the Voice. Six of those involved drug charges, although Cullison mentioned that none of them were for a large amount, and one for unpaid child support. The others were caught for not having auto insurance, vehicle registration, or driving with a revoked license. As of several hours ago, there were eight people in custody on charges including weapons. We’re assuming the weapons were hatchets.
So what’s worse, being a deadbeat dad, or being a deadbeat Juggalo dad? This guy isn’t paying child support for his kid so he can see Mushroomhead, Fear Factory, Twiztid and Blaze Ya Dead Homie and of course, the headliners, Insane Clown Posse. Yup – someone isn’t winning the dad of the year award. The Gathering is expected to bring 10,000 to Cave-In Rock, where the festival is happening for the sixth year.
