Since its inception, Hangout Music Festival has used the “shaka” as its logo, an intentional choice symbolizing the values we stand for and those that we encourage our fans, staff, partners and artists to embody. Yes, the shaka hand gesture symbolizes the “hang loose” mantra of beach and surf culture, something that permeates the carefree vibe at Hangout, but it holds a much deeper meaning too. Rooted in Hawaiian culture, the shaka is a symbol of the “Aloha spirit”, a concept of solidarity, friendship, compassion, respect and mutual understanding. It recognizes our oneness with the Earth and acknowledges the importance of each and every individual in a peaceful collective existence regardless of our differences. This is our vision of love for the Hangout Music Festival community.

Embracing the values symbolized by the shaka, love and respect will be expected of all those in the Hangout community, whether at the festival or online, and any form of hatred or discrimination will not be tolerated. To put it bluntly, BE NICE. Both the Hangout festival site and our social media channels are intended to be a safe space to enjoy music, beach vibes and community. Our zero-tolerance policy includes no sexual harassment or misogyny, no racism, no homophobia or transphobia, no religious or political bigotry, and no acts of violence or aggression. If you are witness to any act of hate, harassment or discrimination, please report it to a representative of the festival.

At Hangout, we are making conscious strides toward an increased level of social and environmental responsibility. This is a long-term and ongoing commitment that won’t happen overnight, but here are some practices being implemented internally at Hangout Music Festival:

• Examine our recruitment and hiring protocols to increase diversity, equity & inclusion amongst staff and create a pipeline for diverse talent to advance within our organization and the industry
• Implement policies for sourcing vendors with diverse ownership and those who employ best practices for social and environmental responsibility
• Improve on-site safe space and anti-harassment measures, ADA services, security plans and guest services plans to perpetuate a safe, inclusive and love-filled environment
• Use our social media channels to celebrate social and environmental responsibility and employ inclusive practices through the vocabulary we use and the content we share

If you have any thoughts as to how Hangout can be a more socially and environmentally conscious festival, we would be grateful for your input. Please email us at info@hangoutmusicfest.com.

Over the years, the Hangout Music Festival has sought to uplift the local community through philanthropy and community engagement.

Most recently Hangout donated $100,000 for the benefit of Gulf Shores City Schools. The donation was used to build a state of the art music lab for the students of Gulf Shores High School. The lab includes a recording studio, music instruments, and a stage with lighting and sound equipment. In honor of Hangout’s donation, the lab was named the Hangout Music Lab.

If you would like information on how to get involved with any of these organizations or Hangout’s Community Engagement initiatives, or would like to apply to be a recipient or partner, please email us at info@hangoutmusicfest.com.