When Dave Slutes took on the job of entertainment director for Hotel Congress in 2004, he was already thinking big.
Seven years later, not much has changed.
HoCo Fest, Slutes' brainchild, was launched in 2005 as a celebration of the 20th anniversary of Club Congress.
"I thought, instead of just celebrating Club Congress," Slutes said, "we should celebrate the music that made Congress great."
And with that in mind, he wrangled 25 previously dismantled bands for reunion shows that warmed the hearts of many a longtime Tucson music fan.
The event was a success, so Slutes saw no reason to stop there.
Now in its seventh incarnation, HoCo Fest is bigger than ever. This year, the festival spans four nights and features musicians from around the world. But it's not the typical mishmash of big names that populate most music festivals.
"I've always tried to make sure there's a message and a meaning to it, Slutes said.
Community service has been a big aspect of the festival since Day One, Slutes said. The festival has always been a green event, and this year's shows will also bring charity into the mix.
Saturday night's festivities will be free of charge, but attendees will be asked to donate what they can, and all proceeds will go to the Tucson Artists and Musicians Healthcare Alliance (TAMHA). The final night of HoCo Fest will be both a tribute to and fundraiser for Craig Schumacher, a local musician, producer and owner of Wavelab Recording Studios who is recovering from cancer.
As the festival has grown, so has the community that inspires it.
"We're sort of upstaging the monster up north," said Schumacher, referring to Phoenix. "We've got a much more cohesive scene now, and events like this are one of the reasons why."
HoCo Fest 2011 begins tonight and runs through Sunday. Here's a quick rundown of what to expect.
