Mind Blown, a free underground rock and art festival, returns to The Shirt Factory on Saturday, June 27, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with two stages, 16 bands, and a mission to raise $20,000 for mental health support in the music community.
This year’s festival will be one of the first major events to fully activate the former South Street farmers market pavilion, now relocated to The Shirt Factory with city support to boost tourism and public events.
The all-ages event features an eclectic lineup of local and regional underground acts spanning ska, punk, goth, hardcore, metal, and more, designed to welcome both dedicated heavy-music fans and curious newcomers. One stage leans into metal and hardcore while the other focuses more on punk, ska, and alt sounds, giving attendees a chance to wander, discover new bands, and experience a wide range of upstate underground music in one place
Headliner of Mind Blown Festival, Bloodx3, will close out the night with a full production light show, led by Shane Sanchez and Chris Simple of Super Dark Collective with visuals by Derick Noetzel. The bill also highlights heavy hitters Senior Living, along with local underground favorites Industry Standard and Roblox Tycoon, plus a deep roster of regional bands including GUTS, Anomalous, Don Joker, Black Tongue Reverend, Psychomanteum, The Spiral Continuum, Uncle Frank Says No, Vintri Hill, Pleasure Death, 6five6, God’s Not Buying a Horse Today, At Light’s Wake, and Sons of Eden.
Mind Blown 2026 is free and open to all ages. In addition to live music, the festival will feature local art, makers, creative activities, food vendors, nonprofits, and designated sensory-safe zones where attendees can step away from the volume and recharge. “You do not have to be a metalhead to have a good time,” the organizers note on the event site. “Come for the food, the art, the people-watching. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event and can only be experienced in person.”
Proceeds from festival donations and on-site fundraising will support HeartSupport, a nonprofit founded within the music scene that offers free, judgment-free, peer-to-peer mental health support and resources for fans struggling with anxiety, depression, addiction, and more. Last year’s Mind Blown drew more than 600 attendees, raised thousands for mental health, and helped spark an informal local support network among organizers, bands, and fans. This year, organizers are aiming for 2,000 attendees and a fundraising goal of $20,000, positioning the festival as both an artistic anchor and a mental-health catalyst for the region.
“Part of why we created Mind Blown is to tackle the loneliness epidemic and let people show up as themselves and share what they love about being alive together,” said festival co-organizer Chuck Copenspire. “Part of why heavy music is important is that science has shown that transmuting difficult emotions through dance, singing, and collectively gathering has huge mental health benefits. We are proof of that. On that one day a year we get to dance and move and celebrate being alive, even with big difficult emotions and the pain we all carry.”
The festival is also part of a broader push to position Glens Falls as a cultural destination in its own right, not just a stop between Saratoga and Lake George. With more than 50 events hosted at The Shirt Factory each year, the relocation of the former South Street pavilion to the Cooper Street complex, supported by City of Glens Falls occupancy tax funds, was intended to preserve the structure for public use and tourism. Mind Blown 2026 demonstrates that investment in action, transforming the space into a full-scale music and arts hub for a day.
This year’s sponsors include Black Anvil Tattoo, Funky Solutions, and Glens Falls City Councilmember Sean Palladino, reflecting a mix of local businesses and civic leadership backing the festival’s growth. Organizers are still welcoming additional sponsors, food trucks, vendors, and volunteers who want to support mental health, local music, and the evolving cultural landscape of downtown Glens Falls.
Mind Blown 2026 is free to attend, with donations encouraged on site and online. For more information, full lineup details, and opportunities to get involved as a sponsor, vendor, or volunteer, visit the festival page online at mindblownfestival.com or the Instagram page @mindblownfestival.
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