# Lebowski Fest > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Lebowski_Fest > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Lebowski_Fest.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebowski_Fest > Source revision: 1320139207 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|United States festival inspired by the film "The Big Lebowski"}} thumb|Poster art for Achiever Fest 2024 by Bill Green '''Lebowski Fest''' was an annual [festival](/source/festival) that began in 2002 in [Louisville, Kentucky](/source/Louisville%2C_Kentucky), celebrating the 1998 [cult film](/source/cult_film) ''[The Big Lebowski](/source/The_Big_Lebowski)'' by [Joel Coen](/source/Joel_Coen) and [Ethan Coen](/source/Ethan_Coen) and was last celebrated in 2018. In addition to its home city of Louisville, Lebowski Fest has been held in [Milwaukee](/source/Milwaukee), [New York](/source/New_York_City), [Las Vegas](/source/Las_Vegas_Valley), [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles), [Austin](/source/Austin%2C_Texas), [Seattle](/source/Seattle), [Chicago](/source/Chicago), [San Francisco](/source/San_Francisco), [Portland](/source/Portland%2C_Oregon), [London](/source/London), [Boston](/source/Boston), [New Orleans](/source/New_Orleans), [Atlanta](/source/Atlanta), [Asbury Park, NJ](/source/Asbury_Park%2C_NJ) and [Pittsburgh](/source/Pittsburgh). == Description == The annual Lebowski Fest celebrates the 1998 [cult film](/source/cult_film) ''[The Big Lebowski](/source/The_Big_Lebowski)'' by [Joel Coen](/source/Joel_Coen) and [Ethan Coen](/source/Ethan_Coen). Typically held over two nights, Lebowski Fest features a screening of the film, live music, and a bowling party attended by fans of the movie, many dressed as characters from the film. == History == [[File:Moore and Bridges Lebowskifest.jpg|thumb|250px|''The Big Lebowski'' cast members [Julianne Moore](/source/Julianne_Moore) and [Jeff Bridges](/source/Jeff_Bridges) at the 2011 Lebowski Fest.]] The festival began in 2002 in [Louisville, Kentucky](/source/Louisville%2C_Kentucky), and has been held in [Milwaukee](/source/Milwaukee), [New York](/source/New_York_City), [Las Vegas](/source/Las_Vegas_Valley), [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles), [Austin](/source/Austin%2C_Texas), [Seattle](/source/Seattle), [Chicago](/source/Chicago), [San Francisco](/source/San_Francisco), [Portland](/source/Portland%2C_Oregon), [London](/source/London), [Boston](/source/Boston), [New Orleans](/source/New_Orleans), [Raleigh](/source/Raleigh%2C_North_Carolina), and [Pittsburgh](/source/Pittsburgh). Various stars from "The Big Lebowski" have attended the fest over the years, including [Jeff Bridges](/source/Jeff_Bridges), who in 2005 showed up at Lebowski Fest in Los Angeles singing and playing "[The Man in Me](/source/The_Man_in_Me)" by [Bob Dylan](/source/Bob_Dylan), which is featured in the film. In 2011, members of the cast reunited at Lebowski Fest in New York, including Bridges, [Julianne Moore](/source/Julianne_Moore), [John Goodman](/source/John_Goodman), [Steve Buscemi](/source/Steve_Buscemi), and [John Turturro](/source/John_Turturro). Lebowski Fest was co-founded by Louisvillians Will Russell and Scott Shuffitt, who, along with Bill Green and Ben Peskoe, authored the book, ''I'm a Lebowski, You're a Lebowski: Life, The Big Lebowski, and What Have You'', described as "a punch-drunk tribute worthy of a bowling-loving stoner named '[the Dude](/source/Jeffrey_%22The_Dude%22_Lebowski).'"{{cite news |work=New York Times |first=Ada |last=Calhoun |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/02/books/review/Calhoun-t.html |title=Hollywood Chronicle: I'm a Lebowski, You're a Lebowski |date=December 2, 2007}} There is also a documentary about Lebowski Fest, entitled ''The Achievers''.{{cite news |work=Los Angeles Times |title='The Achievers: The Story of the Lebowski Fans' explores The Dude phenomenon |first=Scott |last=Timberg |date=July 30, 2009 |url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-et-lebowski30-2009jul30,0,2320460,full.story|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802152316/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-et-lebowski30-2009jul30,0,2320460,full.story|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 2, 2009}} An account of the first ever Lebowski Fest is included in Mike Walsh's non-fiction account of his endeavor to bowl in all 50 U.S. states, ''Bowling Across America''. Lebowski Fest has also appeared on the [Food Network](/source/Food_Network) program "[Ace of Cakes](/source/Ace_of_Cakes)." The episode named "The Big Cakeowski" features the Charm City Cakes staff creating and delivering a movie-themed cake to Lebowski Fest in Louisville. The British equivalent, inspired by Lebowski Fest, is known as The Dude Abides and is held in London.{{cite news|last=Hodgkinson |first=Will |title=Dude, let's go bowling|work=[The Guardian](/source/TheGuardian.com)|date=May 11, 2005|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2005/may/11/1|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060627103438/http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0%2C%2C1481323%2C00.html|archivedate=June 27, 2006|accessdate=2008-01-04|url-status=dead}} Co-founder Scott Shuffitt has taken the reins in the absence of Lebowski Fest and now holds Achiever Fest yearly in Louisville, Kentucky.{{Cite web|url=https://achieverfest.com/|title=Achiever Fest|website=Achiever Fest}} == See also == * [List of attractions and events in the Louisville metropolitan area](/source/List_of_attractions_and_events_in_the_Louisville_metropolitan_area) == References == {{reflist}} == External links == * [http://www.lebowskifest.com/ Lebowski Fest official site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090321143155/http://www.lebowskifest.com/ |date=2009-03-21 }} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110713194841/http://lebowskipodcast.com/episode/episode-13-cult-films-with-will-and-scott.html Cult Films with Will and Scott] The Lebowski Podcast interview with Will Russell and Scott Shuffitt. * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080531143134/http://www.trebuchet-magazine.com/mainsite/index.php?%2Fcategories%2F25-Lebowski-fest-UK Interview with the Will Russell and Scott Shuffitt (creators) on the eve of the UK Lebowski fests] — ''Trebuchet magazine'' * [https://www.amazon.com/dp/1596912464 The book at Amazon] * Poster art for Lebowski Fest by artist [https://www.billgreenstudios.com/ Bill Green] Category:Festivals established in 2002 Category:2002 establishments in Kentucky Category:Festivals in Louisville, Kentucky Category:Fan conventions in the United States Category:July Category:The Big Lebowski --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Lebowski Fest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebowski_Fest) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebowski_Fest?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.