Who and What To See At Independents' Day Festival 2015

Columbus' pride in the people and places that make up its urban fabric is palpable, and perhaps no other festival celebrates and showcases that pride quite likeIndependents' Day(Sept. 19 and 20 in Franklinton). You'll see it throughout the festival: on stage with Columbus' favorite bands-Soul Position (RJD2 and Blueprint), Red Wanting Blue, Saintseneca and roeVy-in the marketplace with local arts and handmade wares and in the food area with a smorgasbord of food trucks and breweries like Land-Grant, Four String and Seventh Son.

But it's also carried over into areas you won't see. While the festival has a set board of directors, each year they bring in a different person-or "captain"-to run the event. "It's very collaborative," says James Allison, this year's captain. "That's sort of what keeps it fresh."

During Allison's tenure, the festival has expanded into two days, gotten creative with stages (a flatbed truck stage for folk and acoustic music and a shipping container for hip hop) and added lots of new activities, like a zip line, hot air balloon, live graffiti art and more. "We don't want to stagnate," Allison says. "We don't want to be the same thing every year."thisisindependent.com