[1][2] The show was held in honor of Trent Acid, one-half of the independent wrestling tag team The Backseat Boyz with Johnny Kashmere, who died of an accidental drug overdose at his home in Philadelphia less than a month before.
The event also hosted one of the largest battle royals ever held, involving a "cast of thousands" as one reviewer called it,[11] and included wrestlers from throughout Acid's career from personal friends to his own students.
[12] The event was free of charge with a suggested $10 minimum donation to the Trent Acid Memorial Fund to help pay for the funeral costs,[1][2][4][5][7][8][9][10][14] a fee paid by all the wrestlers that night, and was successful in raising $7,540 by the end of the show.
Additional money was raised through merchandise sales of Acid-Fest T-shirts[6] and programs, and a memorabilia auction of a World Wrestling Entertainment watch, designed to look like a spinner belt,[12] donated by John Cena.
[7][8] The known participants included were: Balls Mahoney, The Messiah, Adam Flash, Rockin' Rebel, Greg Matthews, Bison Bravado, Matt Walsh, Kwame, Ron Starr, Earl Cooter, Nate Stein, Eddie Valentine, John Dahmer, Lil’ Greatness, Slayer, Deranged, Billy Angus, Danny Angus, Kid America, Flash Wheeler, Aramis, Cory Kastle, Darren Wyse, and the Dirty Rotten Scoundrelz (EC Negro and KC Blade).