Sweetwater Presents GearFest ‘11

This event has an impressive line up of people and gear – I would go just to hear Alan Parsons talk if it wasn’t for the fact that I’ll be 14,558.5 Kilometers away at the time of the event.

GearFest 11

While it’s true Sweetwater advertises here on GuitarSite.com (see their pretty button at the top of this page), they didn’t ask us to run this story – it was me who approached them.

So, without further ado, here is the information Sweetwater sent at my request…

Press Release:

Sweetwater, one of the most respected music instrument and pro audio retailers in the world, will present GearFest ‘11, a celebration of musicians and the instruments and equipment they use to make music. There will also an indoor/outdoor festival featuring live music, delicious food, amazing prizes, and lots of fun for the entire family. This year’s expo is bigger than ever, with two days full of dozens of informative workshops and seminars, scores of manufacturer exhibits, musical performances, and special surprises!

GearFest will take place Friday, June 24th from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, June 25th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 5501 US Hwy 30 W, Fort Wayne, Indiana. GearFest is free and open to the public.



Sweetwater Founder and President Chuck Surack remarked, “We are proud to be able to offer this event every year. It continues to grow, and there’s literally nothing like it. It is a unique form of trade show. There’s certainly nothing this big, with so many great attractions, that is also free and open to the public, anywhere else in the country.”

Part trade show, part entertainment event, part flea market, and part musicians’ toyland, GearFest offers something for everyone!

To speed up the registration process at the festival, you can pre-register online; visit: sweetwater.com/feature/gearfest2011/register.php. For more information, call (260) 432-8176.

An event as big as GearFest demands an equally big giveaway of free gear! We’ve amassed more than $30,000 in gear that will be awarded to lucky GearFest attendees. Included is some of the hottest gear for recording, guitar, and live sound from Epiphone, Line 6, PreSonus, QSC, Roland, Shure, and Yamaha. Not only will guests be able to get their hands on the latest audio technology at GearFest, lucky winners will be able to take some home too! You must attend GearFest and register in person in order to win.

In addition, Sweetwater will be offering once-in-a-lifetime sale pricing on many products.

GearFest ’11 will host a multitude of guests from all areas of the music industry for some exciting performances and workshops. This year’s featured speaker is Alan Parsons, legendary producer, engineer, and artist. Parsons is famed for his work with The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and his own group, The Alan Parsons Project.

We will also have a special appearance by remix artist BT, who revolutionized British club and dance music in the 90’s. Attendees will have the rare opportunity to learn directly from these guests and more with the amazing sound quality in the Sweetwater Performance Theatre and on other stages throughout the Sweetwater campus. Other informative seminars cover topics such as tracking the band, songwriting critique, recording on a computer, introduction to Pro Tools 9 recording software, and many, many more!

Acclaimed performers Paul Pigat, Johnny Hiland, Frank Bello, David Ellefson and many more will take the stage to perform on the latest new guitars, keyboards, and electronic drums. Plus, the amazing Guitar Gallery tent will feature hundreds of guitars and basses on display for guests to get their hands on!

The entire GearFest ’11 schedule of events is available online at: sweetwater.com/feature/gearfest2011/workshops.php.

Musicians will enjoy a free guitar setup and restringing service, plus a musicians’ flea market, where used equipment can be bought, sold, or traded. To pre-register to sell equipment at the flea market, call (260) 432-8176.

More than 200 manufacturers of musical instruments, music technology, and audio equipment will be on hand to give musicians a look at the latest gear. This rare opportunity will feature over 35 guitar gear manufacturers, more than 45 recording equipment vendors, 20 software publishers, 20 microphone makers, and much more!

Other attractions will include hourly giveaway drawings for thousands of dollars of equipment and instruments, plus tours of Sweetwater’s world-class recording studios and headquarters.

Travel and hotel information for Fort Wayne, Indiana, is available at: sweetwater.com/feature/gearfest2011/register.php.

Related Article:

Sweetwater GearFest ’13

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