Faithful INTIX members and readers, meet Festi Monkey … box office mascot extraordinaire! His best friend and frequent travel partner is Liz Baqir, Associate Director, Ticketing Services for Cal Performances, the performing arts presenting, commissioning and producing organization based at the University of California, Berkeley. Many years ago, he appeared to her in his original form as an inflatable primate, one you might pick up at a dollar store or a Home Depot. There he was, sitting in the box office at the High Sierra Music Festival in Quincy, California. No explanation about how he got there. She still doesn’t have one.

“I grew attached to him, and he’s been traveling with me to festivals ever since,” she recalls. “He makes festival goers smile!”

Just how many festivals and live events has Festi attended? And what’s been the biggest? What’s been the smallest? Baqir was quick to answer: “Festi has been to well over 100 festivals at this point, and he has the wristbands to prove it. Like a true festival kid, he never takes one off! Festi has traveled all over California for festivals, and for many years he went to Las Vegas every year for Life is Beautiful.”

She continues, “He’s a great road trip buddy. He always lets you pick the music and never complains if you need a pit stop. I sometimes get some weird looks when he’s in the passenger seat, but he’s a great, great companion! Festi has worked small hippie festivals of 1,000 people and enormous events like the recent Grateful Dead 60th Anniversary celebration shows and Outside Lands in Golden Gate Park.” 

Of course, as you can see from the photos, the current Festi is not the original Festi. How many Festis have there been over the years? “Real talk,” Baqir said with considerable seriousness. “Until this year, Festi was a plastic inflatable dollar store novelty that I replaced at least once a season when he got deflated, transferring every wristband over to the new Festi. I resisted a stuffed Festi because let’s face it Festi spends a lot of time in very dusty environments, being handled by many people. But I finally found the perfect stuffed version of Festi, and I think this one will be around for a long time.”

The old Festi Monkey.

And over the years, there has been a certain amount of good luck and superstitious positive energy assigned to the well-traveled primate. Festi enjoys holding court and having his proverbial ring kissed. Baqir says, “My co-workers at festivals look for Festi as soon as I arrive. He’s a vital member of the box office team! We count on him to make our patrons laugh — he is great at lightening the mood — as well as a perfect distraction for crying children … or adults, depending on the festival. He also lifts the staff’s spirits with his antics, and he’s always available for a hug or as a dance partner!”

The new Festi Monkey. 

No surprise. Certain tall tales have been repeated over the years involving Festi, with some now taking on near-legend status. How could they not when one is positioned event after event as the ultimate party animal. Baqir notes that one of her favorite stories is from way back in the beginning of their relationship: “It was maybe our second or third festival together. I came in early one morning to open up and found Festi lying on the floor of the box office trailer, an empty bottle next to him, with a ‘joint’ in one hand and a random hotel room key in the other! You gotta keep an eye on him. He is indeed a party animal!”

With the usual pressures of working live events, our concluding question to Baqir was: “Has Festi ever missed a big performance or been left behind and someone has had to go back for him?” Baqir practically recoiled at even the thought of such a dark alternate reality, “No way!” she exclaimed. “Festi is my ride or die festival companion! He’s always on the list! My packing list, that is. I would miss him too much to leave him behind.”

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