By Freedom Moreno

Local musician Zombelle plays a soulful acoustic set on day seven of the Saturation Festival at the Back to the Grind coffee shop. (Freedom Moreno)

By Freedom Moreno

This year was the sixth installment of Saturation Fest. Oddly enough, many locals in the Riverside or other surrounding areas have no idea was Saturation Fest is. Saturation Fest is organized by local Riverside resident Alaska Whelan and her crew of friends and volunteers.

The event takes place in Downtown Riverside every year, and this year Saturation Fest was home to live music, art shows, dancing, poetry, burlesque, DJs, film, zines, art vendors, workshops, bike crews, and everything of the like. The majority of the bands and artists who participate are local, with the exception of Portland and San Diego.

The festival went on for 11 days this year; each day filled with mind blowing talent. Most of the events were free and all ages so anyone could attend. Saturation Fest organizer Alaska Whelan says, “Kids who couldn’t normally afford to go to a whole bunch of shows out of town can see the possibilities in their own backyard. We are helping to foster an inclusive cultural community in Riverside that works toward something bigger, greater and much more fun. In short, we’re giving it all we’ve got.”

This year’s festival was nothing short of amazing. The Inland Empire is filled with overwhelming talent. Events such as Saturation Fest enable the community to interact and discover talent that has been right in their backyard the whole time.

Eleven days for a festival may seem like a long time, especially with the numerous amounts of acts, but the Inland Empire is filled with so much talent, “Even 11 days isn’t even close to showcasing all of the talent that’s in this town,” said Whelan, the festival’s organizer. “As a representation of the art that’s being made in Riverside, Saturation barely makes a dent.” However Saturation sure did an amazing job giving the community a taste, which left everyone craving for more.