A new era shall soon be upon us… or something like that. December 21, 2012, Mayan mystics have foretold, universal annihilation awaits. Yet, as chaos and order come to a head, and the fate of the cosmos contends with the undoing of infinity and eternity, a beacon of hope arises: the Cosmic Convergence Festival.

Enter the drawing below to win a pair of tickets to the Cosmic Convergence Festival

Beginning at noon on Friday at the Sugar Mill, Giorgio A. Tsoukalos — the star of the History Channel’s Ancient Aliens — and New Orleans’ own Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus will party as if the state of sentient life depended on it… and it just very well might.

With 12 hours to upend inevitability, 22 bands will crusade for the coming of December 22. These brave warriors include: Ghostland Observatory, Quintron and Miss Pussycat, Alex McMurray and the Interstellar All-Stars, the Hot 8 Brass Band, Rotary Downs, Clockwork Elvis, Derrick Freeman’s Smoker’s World, DiNola, the Local Skank, Ratty Scurvics, the Green Demons, the Blackstarr Bangas and Suave, Woodenhead, the Hill County Hell Hounds, DJ Spyc, James Singleton’s Bluebelly, Sunrise Sunset, MC Trachiotomy, the Happy Talk Band, MC Chewbacon & Amen 5, Sun Domingo, and DJ Brice Nice.

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For us, the future of the future rests on the hope that, collectively, these bands can rock “so hard” as to wrest the space-time continuum free from the trappings of oblivion. Certain glory shall come to those who join arms with them in the struggle for another tomorrow… and another tomorrow… and another tomorrow… be it in this realm or another.

Those wishing to partake in the festivities can either procure tickets now via the World Wide Web at cosmicfestnola.com or in the would-be future at the junket’s gates. For those so daring as to temp the hand of destiny, the chance to secure a pair of tickets to the Cosmic Convergence Festival lies in submitting the form below. On Thursday, December 20, one fortunate being will a receive a front-row seat to the end of earth… or not. Dig the playlist for a preview. Good luck!