Indie artist Dayglow will headline Bear Down Music Festival at the University of Arizona Mall on Wednesday, May 7.

The annual music festival is back for the fifth year with six performances and a country theme, The Associated Students of the University of Arizona announced Sunday on Instagram.

The festival will offer a wide range of attractions, from mechanical bull rides and axe throwing to an array of local food trucks.

Katie Blair, a fourth-year student at UA and a longtime Dayglow fan, said she’s excited to see the group perform. The combination of one of her favorite artists and the country-themed setting hits close to home for her.

“I listened to Dayglow a lot in high school, and I grew up in Texas so it’s kind of a weird convergence of these two things that I don’t necessarily associate together,” she said. “Seeing the country theme and [Dayglow] is going to be an interesting mix and I’m excited for the nostalgia.”

The festival will also include country artist Mackenzie Carpenter, rock duo Edgewood Heavy and local favorites The Hawthorne Experience and Silveretta. 

Rock pop band Silveretta won Bear Down Music Festival’s Battle of the Bands competition on April 17, securing a spot at the festival. The band won over the audience with their groovy guitar riffs and contrasting male and female vocalists.

“We were really shocked,” Ryan Walker, Silveretta bassist said about winning the competition. “There were a lot of really good bands, bands we were fans of already.”

“We were honored to share the stage with them,” added drummer Sammy Almada.

Silveretta will share the stage again at Bear Down Music Festival with The Hawthorne Experience, who will perform for the second straight year at the festival.

A local group, The Hawthorne Experience has become a staple of Tucson’s music scene, known for their groovy basslines and explosive, hard-hitting drums.

“Hawthorne’s music gives you that existential trip,” said Tucson native Siki Tayome, an attendee of the Battle of the Bands competition.

Blair said she appreciates that the festival continues to spotlight local artists even as ASUA has secured major headliners like Dayglow.

“I think that’s really important,” she said. “Putting them up on a stage with someone who they might look up to is really cool, and I’m glad that they get that experience.”

Just a week away, the festival is expected to attract more than 5,000 students, according to ASUA. 

“They can expect high energy and good vibes,” drummer Almada said.

The festival is set for Wednesday, May 7, on the UA Mall.

For full access to this year’s Bear Down Music Festival, wristbands are available for purchase here.

Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.