Jonathan Reuel and Friends
Multi-instrumentalist and sonic innovator Ben Metz joins local singer songwriters Jason Ropp and Jonathan Reuel for 75 minutes of music ranging from acoustic folk to drum/guitar rock duo, culminating in songs from Ropp and Grant Beachy’s Metier project. Get ready for poetic songwriting, hooks that stay in your head for days and some Whit Tripes-esque rock-n-roll that will get your head bobbing as you grab food on your way up to the top of the fest!
Hip-Hop Hour w/ The Chicamonstarz and Bigelow T. feat. Jimmy Nimbus, Lederach tha Ruler, Bones Morrow, the Reng, the Nightmare
Chicamonstarz are an alternative rap group that formed in East Nashville, TN in 2013. Goshen, IN natives Jimmy Nimbus and Lederach tha Ruler are founding members and overjoyed to have joining them, fellow Goshen College alum Bones Morrow for a hip-hop homecoming for the ages! And catch them with Kansas Bible Company later in the evening!
Bigelow T is an independent-alternative-hip-hop artist from Central IL. Beginning his music journey in 2021, Bigelow T started performing at Open Mics and eventually met people with whom he'd form a creative movement. He fuses the lyrical integrity of old-school-hip-hop with the exciting sonic styles of the modern-era.
With head-bobbers like "Boogie" & "Bike Rack", crowd movers like "Play my Bass" & "TANG", and the recent smooth-hitting releases of "Tuesday & Limousines", Bigelow T, alongside his friends Jimmy Nimbus, LederachThaRuler, and The Reng are sure to put on an electric performance at Float Fest 2026 this year.
Raised on hip hop and shaped by late nights in LA, Chuck Fry found house music in the legendary Spundae second room at Circus. From there, he started playing and promoting underground warehouse and loft parties across Los Angeles. Now based in the Midwest, he blends house, hip hop, and pop into high-energy sets that keep people moving. Whether it’s deep grooves or party anthems, Chuck knows how to rock a crowd. Catch him setting the mood for the day from a boat at the top of Float Fest.
Float Fest can't happen without support! Businesses, come be a part of the most unique festivals around! If you think of anyone that might be interested, shoot them outrway!
Want to get to know the musicians of Float Fest 2026? We sure hope so, because this line-up is absolutely STACKED!!!! You've got two options. 1, we've prepared a SPOTIFY PLAYLIST for you with every artist (that has their music on that platform) on it. However, not every artist has their music on Spotify, and you may not prefer to use that platform, and we get that! That brings us to Option 2! If you HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE, (In our LinkTree - linktr.ee/floatfestgoshen) - you can click on any artist's bio picture under the "Line-Up 2026" section and get linked to their music on Bandcamp, YouTube, or their website. HAPPY LISTENING!
The Lost Luggage is a goshen-based jazz quartet that has been in existence since 2017. In 2023 they released their first album of original compositions entitled Carrion Items and is available on band camp. The group plays regularly in the Goshen Elkhart area. They play a variety of lesser-known standards and fabulous original tunes.
Michael Jon DeHays, the man behind Imformal, is a freelance electric cellist, composer and recording engineer from Mishawaka,Indiana. His time is spent composing music, recording and mixing audio at Kickstart Studios, or performing on electric cello as Imphormal. He is a member of the “Computer Geek, Tech-head Club of Michiana”.His music began with the cello at age 8 and grew to include bass guitar. Additionally, service in the United States Air Force provided a solid education in analog and digital electronics which he promptly applied to audio engineering, recording, and performance technology. His writing draws on inspiration from a wide variety of musical genres. Inspirations include the works of Frank Lloyd Wright, Rudy Van Gelder, Vince Guaraldi, and Piero Umiliani. Michael has also long been surrounded and inspired by the arts and culture of Japan. This has a way of arising in compositions and mixing with his mainstream American roots.
OYARSA started as a post rock outlet for DIY road dogs Joe McElroy, Noah Sheaffer, and Joey Lancaster in 2021, but the disintegrating social and political fabric of the country quickly pushed the band into a much heavier space of being an outlet for anger and dissatisfaction at the systems around it. Melodies gave way to fight riffs and dulcet “Deftones” style vocals are cut by screams and passions of losing youth. The energy of the live experience harkens back to the chaos of early 2000’s screamo, but the tones live somewhere closer to shoegaze and doom.
Backspacer (hailing from Goshen, IN) is a rock/metal smorgasbord that will delight your ears, & tantalize your musical palate. Backspacer brings a high energy show. They keep things moving with hard-hitting riffs, hooky melodies, & a thunderous rhythm section. Each song is a buffet of surprises with guitar solos short, & concise that leave you wanting more.
Consisting of members with a diverse mix of musical backgrounds, & histories spanning 35 years Backspacer is a regional “super group” of sorts. Their high quality entertainment is sure to bring a fun time, & a fire in your belly.
The B.A.R. trio is a jazz ensemble rising from the Michiana area, built on the magnetic interplay of Buddy Pearson, Arthur Schroeder and Rafael Chavez. Inspired by the improvisational genius of Miles Davis, and the rich harmonies of John Coltrane, The B.A.R. Trio blends classic jazz roots with a fresh, modern edge. From intimate Michiana venues, to regional Jazz Festivals, every performance is a vibrant, spontaneous exploration–an invitation to lose yourself in the music.
Kansas Bible Company is a rock 'n roll band with a high energy, psychedelic live show that absolutely jams. They are composed of a massive hornline, triple guitar threat, and double thunder drums. Starting in 2010 at Goshen College, they moved to Nashville, TN to live and tour together for six years and have since moved on to several other projects and to live in many other states, but still get together to jam and party every now and again. Long live KBC!
