THE SUN
FOR over 20 years the Gathering of the Juggalos festival has become the go-to hub for fans of the Insane Clown Posse who are treated to four nights of concerts, wrestling shows, contests, and other events.
The most recent iteration of the festival took place between July 5 to July 9 at Legend Valley in Thornville, Ohio featuring an intergalactic theme.
“From the deepest reaches of the outer cosmos comes an event unlike any other seen on the terrestrial sphere!” read a description on the festival’s official website.
“Scientists are baffled! Government agencies are powerless to stop it! Creatures from every cosmic corner and constellation are descending upon the planet, bringing sights both wondrous and terrifying, with one common goal in mind: to throw an epic non-stop party beyond the Earth’s comprehension!
“This is the 23rd Annual Gathering of the Juggalos: The Wicked Clowns From Outer Space! Prepare your feeble human brain for 4 days of out-of-this-world freshness that is so much more than a music festival!”
The festival is also a space for the die-hard fanbase to let loose with other members of the self-described “family.”
“Get ready for electrified brutality on a scale seldom seen before, as JCW gladiators enter the steel cage to unleash beastation that will leave you mentally scarred long after the screams of agony have faded,” reads the description.
LET LOOSE
It’s not just the activities that make the Gathering a beloved festival but rather the dedicated fans that use the opportunity to express themselves such as donning the traditional Juggalo face paint.
Others choose to follow the intergalactic theming to cosplay as aliens or incorporate stars and galaxies into their look.
Photos exclusively taken by The U.S. Sun showcase the myriad of attendees at the festival, including music artist Mac Sabbath.
Compromised of members, Ronald Osbourne, Slayer MacCheeze, Grimalice, and the Catburgler – parodies of Ronald McDonald, Mayor McCheese, Grimace, and the Hamburglar respectively – the band is a heavy metal tribute band that primarily parodies Black Sabbath.
Ronald Osbourne is seen leading a sermon-like performance as smoke covers the stage and Grimalice plays the bass in the background.
Another image shows a couple posing for the camera as the woman is seen locked inside a cage and partially nude.
The cage has a “Keep Out” sign attached to it, warning others to not interfere.
In a somewhat tamer picture, a man holds a sign advertising free floggings – a punishment where a victim is hit repeatedly with a whip or stick.
However, if attendees want to flog the man, they can do so for $2, according to the sign.
DRUGS AND DEATHS AND FAYGO
The Gathering has made headlines a handful of times since it began in 2000 for a variety of reasons, including drug overdoses and rowdy behavior.
Cory Collins, 24, died at the festival in 2013 after complaining of not feeling well.
Collins had reportedly visited a “drug bridge” that was infamous at the Gathering.
The bridge was a marketplace for various recreational drugs that were used during the festival.
