Boomtown is a whirling world of the creative that seems to be perched just on the edge of the impossible.
First rising up in 2009, it has become one of the country’s most visually-spectacular festivals, home to everyone from artistic mystic to pirate wench. Every year has centred around one step in the story. Other festivals have history, but Boomtown has History.
Here’s a quick overview of its fanciful past.
Chapter One: Boomtown Begins
Intrepid explorer Nickolas Boom, founded the legendary Boomtown Fair. It began as a small collective, with the circus riding into town at the head of The Gypsy King, an enormous elephant. Exotic creatures and rippling canvases of colours came to define the First Chapter of Boomtown.
Chapter Two: External Forces
With the popularity of the Fair came pressure from without, and the small community found itself alarmed by external dabbling in the town’s affairs. It was then that The Kaptin emerged into the fray, attempting to bring order and structure to the lawless. Efforts were suppressed by Boom and his cohorts.
Chapter Three: The Disappearance of Boom
As Boomtown became bigger, so was more paperwork demanded by the distant authority of the realm. Boom threw in the towel, returning to the huge temple of treasures held deep within the mountains.
Chapter Four: An Alien Presence
The town became a city, then strange lights appeared in the sky and rumblings tremored across from the mountains. The Kaptain announced a state of emergency and declared himself Mayor with full executive powers as a spider-like machine descended.
Chapter Five: A Declaration of Democracy
The spider-like machine sat blasting flames. The Mayor and Boomtown’s citizens declared the city a democracy, with free elections and district councillors. Productivity rose everywhere, from the saloons of the Wild West to the backstreets of DSTRKT 5.
Chapter Six: A New Twist
With alien overlords watching from above, the ex-Mayor attempted to travel back in time and secure the loyalty of Badass Bane, the Wild West’s ruler. However, a strange machine that glowed in the corner of his office, The Mezmatron, become active…
Chapter Seven: The Palace Has Risen
Comrade Jose emerged as Boomtown’s new leader, creating a series of civic projects to reinforce her position. At the climax of the event, masked rebels invaded the lower sections of her building and hacked media communications.
Chapter Eight: The Revolution Starts Now
Comrade Jose has been brainwashed and the divide between rich and poor is greater. Military conscription and a propaganda machine attempt to defy the gathering rebel forces.