The Gathering of the Juggalos (also known as The Gathering or GOTJ) is an annual music festival put on by Psychopathic Records, featuring performances by the entire label roster as well as numerous well-known musical groups and underground artists. It was founded by Jumpsteady, Insane Clown Posse (Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler), and their label in 2000. Described by Joseph Bruce as a "Juggalo Woodstock" (Juggalo being a nickname for fans of the Insane Clown Posse), the Gathering of the Juggalos spans five days and includes concerts, wrestling, games, contests, autograph sessions, karaoke, and seminars with artists. Over its first eleven events (2000–2010), the festival drew a total attendance upward of 100,000 fans.
History
Early years (2000–2002)
The Gathering of the Juggalos was created in 1999 when Rob Bruce organized an event for all Juggalos, a concept long talked about by Insane Clown Posse. The first Gathering took place in Novi, Michigan at the Novi Expo Center on July 2122, 2000, with roughly 2,000 fans in attendance. The festival featured concert performances, autograph sessions, seminars, wrestling hosted by Juggalo Championshit Wrestling, tattooing, a haunted house, video games, contests, an ICP memorabilia museum and more.
The lineup included performances by Insane Clown Posse, Twiztid, Blaze Ya Dead Homie, Psychopathic Rydas, Project Born, and Kottonmouth Kings. While performing on the final night, Insane Clown Posse asked the Juggalos to join them onstage, and about 300 fans rushed onto the stage. After performing for almost 30 more minutes, the concert was abruptly stopped by the venue's management.
The second Gathering of the Juggalos was held in Toledo, Ohio at the SeaGate Convention Centre on July 1315, 2001, with approximately 6,600 in attendance. Outside artists included The Suicide Machines, Marz, Three 6 Mafia, Vanilla Ice, and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Juggalo Championshit Wrestling hosted several matches, with the main event pitting Sabu against Vampiro for the JCW Heavyweight Championship.
Like the previous year, hundreds of fans charged the main stage during Insane Clown Posse's performance. However, this time the group was forced to flee the stage before it collapsed. The festival ended early before the duo could reveal their Sixth Joker's Card. The next day, local newspapers reported the rush as a "riot".
The third annual Gathering of the Juggalos was held in the Civic Center in Peoria, Illinois July 1921, 2002, with over 8,000 in attendance. Esham, Ghoultown, Mack 10, Primer 55, and Bubba Sparxxx were among the guest performers. Bubba Sparxxx was booed offstage and has since left a mark on future Gatherings, as acts sharing similar fates have been said to receive the "Bubba Sparxxx award." Esham announced at the event that he had signed with Psychopathic Records. The Sixth Joker's Card was unveiled in two separate seminars, The Wraith: Shangri-La and Hell's Pit, given by ViolentJ. The second seminar, detailing Insane Clown Posse's entire rise to fame, was captured on video and released with The Wraith: Shangri-La on DVD.
A riot occurred after police tried to stop female attendees from showing their breasts. The police released tear gas and pepper balls into the surrounding crowd, causing mass confusion. Psychopathic Records employees Rob Bruce and Alex Abbiss negotiated with police, and the festival continued after airing out for 30 minutes.
Expansion and development (2003–2006)
In 2003, the Juggalo Gathering was held outdoors for the first time. The event took place at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park, known as "the Crystal Forest", near Garrettsville, Ohio in Nelson Township, July 1720. It was also the first time the festival went on for 24hours every day. Guest performers included Bushwick Bill, Dope, and Killah Priest. In addition to the wrestling matches, Mad Man Pondo hosted Mad Man Pondo's Wrestling School. Though multiple police were called to watch over the event by Garrettsville residents, the Gathering went off without any problems.
The fifth annual Gathering of the Juggalos returned to Garrettsville July 1518, with over 5,000 in attendance. Ol' Dirty Bastard, Kurupt, Tech N9ne, and Wolfpac were among those who performed. Kurupt got booed off the stage by the attendees and retaliated by throwing a microphone into the audience. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony also reunited for the first time in several months by making a surprise performance on opening night. Juggalo Championship Wrestling hosted matches every day, and featured several established wrestlers.
The Gathering of the Juggalos returned to Garrettsville for a third time in 2005 on July 2124. Guest performers included 2 Live Crew, Powerman 5000, Manntis, and Mini Kiss. Charlie Murphy was also brought in as one of the stand-up comedians. The Gathering hosted the final round of the Underground Psychos contest, in which the winner, Axe Murder Boyz, was signed to Psychopathic Records. Juggalo Championship Wrestling held the event "JCW vs. TNA" which pitted JCW wrestlers against TNA wrestlers.
Quarry Park's owner, Evan Kelley, kicked the festival off his grounds later that year. He stated, "Psychopathic Records broke some of the rules set down for the 2005 event, including blasting music all night long." He also explained that "Drugs, alcohol, nudity, profanity, and trash also became serious problems."
The seventh annual Gathering of the Juggalos was set to take place at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan, however, the board of Woodstock Township, Michigan denied the label the permits needed to hold the event. On April 18, Psychopathic Records announced that the Gathering would be held in Pataskala, Ohio at Frontier Ranch July 1316, 2006. The festival featured over 100 bands. Those playing at the main and second stages included Drowning Pool, Digital Underground, Rehab, Too $hort, Intricate Unit, Bobaflex, and Vile.
Cave-In-Rock (2007–2013)
Cave-In-Rock, Illinois hosted the eighth Gathering of the Juggalos at Hogrock Campgrounds on August 912, 2007, with over 8,000 fans attending the four-day event. Like the previous year, over 100 bands were featured. Performances on the main and second stages included Ying Yang Twins, Necro, Haystak, Zug Izland, Prozak, Mushroomhead, and Insane Poetry. Comedians included Joey Gay. Bloodymania, the culmination of Juggalo Championship Wrestling's web show, SlamTV!, debuted at the event. Anybody Killa was also announced to have signed back with Psychopathic Records.
Cave-In-Rock also hosted the ninth Gathering of the Juggalos on August 710, 2008, which included guest performances by Afroman, Andrew W.K., Ice-T, and Bizarre. Both Bloodymania II and the debut of Oddball Wrestling was presented by Juggalo Championship Wrestling. The Gathering was filmed by Psychopathic Video for the documentary A Family Underground, which was released on May 12, 2009.
The tenth Gathering of the Juggalos August 69, 2009, had the largest attendance in Gathering history with over 20,000 people. Over 120 musical artists performed at the event, including Ice Cube, Gwar, Coolio, and Scarface. During their set, Insane Clown Posse debuted the songs "Juggalo Island" and "Bang! Pow! Boom!" from their then-upcoming album Bang! Pow! Boom! Juggalo Championship Wrestling hosted Bloodymania III, Oddball Wrestling, and Flashlight Wrestling. Stand-up comedians included Jimmie Walker and Pauly Shore. The trailer for Big Money Rustlas also premiered during the event, where it was screened twice.
In honor of the Western comedy film Big Money Rustlas being released at the following event, the eleventh Gathering of the Juggalos, August 12–15, 2010, featured a "Best in the West" West Coast hip hop theme. Guest performances include Naughty by Nature, Spice 1, Method Man & Redman, Above the Law, and Warren G. A "Ladies' Night", hosted by Sugar Slam, featured performances by Kisa, LilV, IllE.Gal, and Tila Tequila. Shaggy 2 Dope hosted "Shaggy's Old School Super Jam", featuring DJing by 2Dope and performances by Tone Lōc and Rob Base. Comedy was provided by Tom Green, Gallagher, and Ron Jeremy. That night, performers Method Man and Tila Tequila suffered facial lacerations as a result of objects that were hurled at them from the crowd. Both performers remained on stage, but, Tila Tequila suffered the worst reaction from the crowd with reports that indicated attendees in the crowd hurled various objects (including feces), in her direction. Method Man suffered a cut on his face, but aggressively continued the set and eventually won over the crowd.Five wrestling shows were booked for the event; Bloodymania IV, two Flashlight Wrestling events, an event featuring the cast of Half Pint Brawlers, and Oddball Wrestling.
The twelfth annual Gathering of the Juggalos August 1114, 2011, debuted the use of a celebrity host for each night's main stage with Dustin Diamond, Jumpsteady, Charlie Sheen, and Flavor Flav. Guest acts included artists Busta Rhymes, Mystikal, Juvenile, Lil Jon, George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic, Saliva, Ice Cube, Xzibit, and Paris. All of the main stage performances, as well as the wrestling events Bloodymania 5 and Legends & Icons, were broadcast live on internet pay-per-view. It was also announced that Vanilla Ice had signed with Psychopathic Records.
The thirteenth annual gathering took place from August 812, 2012, at Cave-In-Rock and featured Insane Clown Posse, Twiztid, Psychopathic Rydas, Dark Lotus, Blaze Ya Dead Homie, ABK, comedian Ralphie May, DJ Clay, Mike E. Clark, and Cold 187 AKA Big Hutch. Some other guest artists and groups included Tech N9ne, The Pharcyde, Soulfly, Fear Factory, Cheech & Chong, Danny Brown, Slaine, ¡Mayday! & the Geto Boys. A volume of photographs by Daniel Cronin from the event has been published, showing predominantly the people attending the event, not the performers.The Gathering of the Juggalos Photographs by Daniel Cronin, with a foreword by Camille Dodero. Munich: Prestel, 2013(?). .
The fourteenth annual gathering took place from August 711, 2013, at Cave-In-Rock. This was the final time the event was held in Cave-In-Rock.
Thornville, Ohio, Oklahoma City, Springville, Crystal Forest, and Macks Creek, Missouri (2014–present)