Fatherland Fest to Offer Grown-Up Carnival Atmosphere

Fatherland Fest, the largest fundraiser of the year for Music City PrEP, promises a “spectacularly queer carnival” on Saturday. 

“Every town has a fair, and that's where it came from,” says Jeremy Johnson, director of marketing at Music City PrEP. “Let's play with the fair, and then of course we got to make it just a little bit dirty in order for it to be fun for the kids in East Nashville, because East Nashville's got such character.” 

This year’s headlining act is Liberace & Liza: A Tribute, a Portland, Ore.-based act with performers David Saffert as Liberace and Jillian Snow as Liza Minelli. Former RuPaul’s Drag Race competitor, Denver-based Yvie Oddly, is set to take the stage, as well as locally based DJ Griffin Green. 

As is tradition with Music City PrEP events, a gaggle of drag nurses will be working the festival, including SiSSi drag competition founders Cya Inhale and Vidalia Anne Gentry, as well as local queens Zxa, Shoshana Van De Blair, Shelby Lá Banks, Amez, Justine Van De Blair and Lexi Von Simmons. 

Music City PrEP, which opened its Fatherland location in 2022, offers HIV prevention medication, HIV/AIDS treatment, sexual health screenings and social services, as well as LGBTQ-focused primary care through Chosen Family Medicine. In addition, Music City PrEP has a location in West Nashville on 28th Avenue North and locations in Memphis, Chattanooga and Louisville. The organization also has a mobile program.

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“It's always trying to up our own game and provide something new that's not the same thing that we've done before,” Johnson says. “That's a big part of it for us, but also the mission. Just getting more notoriety that we can build for what we do in our services, which is the end all be all.” 

Fatherland Fest, an 18-and-up event, runs from 4 to 10 p.m. on Saturday at 1105 Fatherland St. While there is no cost for entry, the event will offset a multitude of opportunities to donate, including piano karaoke slots, carnival rides and games. Canvas is hosting an after-party, and the Gay Farmers Market is set for the next morning on site. 

“You're gonna see something unusual, different, something you probably haven't seen in a festival in East Nashville — maybe something you've never seen before,” says Music City PrEP events manager Drew Morrow. “There's gonna be some fun surprises, and we just really want to drive home the fact that it's going to be a really fun hands-on environment.”