Photo: Bryan Bedder (Getty Images)
Among the many signs that life as we know it was thrown into chaos by the pandemic, the cancellation of last year’s Gathering Of The Juggalos was one of the most disconcerting of all. Now, our hearts filled with so much joy that they’re as close to bursting as a well-shaken 20 oz. Faygo bottle, we’re happy to report that the Insane Clown Posse’s 2020 promise to return “stronger, bigger, and better than ever!” in 2021 has come true.
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The Gathering is back.
All the lonely Juggalos, painting their faces and dying their stringy dreadlocks in Kool-Aid by themselves at home this past year, will now be able to rejoin their fellow ninjas this August in Thornville, Ohio. A recent ICP Instagram post has proclaimed the return of the Dark Carnival alongside a hockey jersey-looking graphic with this year’s motto: ”Luv rises from the ash like the butterfly.”
subculture. and love of face painting. emily, emily! reporter: every year since 2007, fans have gathered for a week-long summer festival. the gathering of the juggalos. in southern illinois. the event attracts about 10,000 people, and heaps of trouble. there have been several deaths in recent years, and dozens of arrests. according to theel i i will state police. we re the most hated band, because people hate and people fear what they don t understand. you know? and there s a lot more to us than what you see on the surface. or even what you hear listening to just one of our songs, you know? reporter: those songs are often oh profanity-laced fictional narratives that the band says has an underlying positive message. but the fbi disagrees. in 2011, the juggalos ended up on the national gang threat assessment, as, quote oh, a loosely organized hybrid gang. quote, a small number of jug lows are forming more organized subsets and engaging in more