Sea Cliff music fest aims to inspire women

The Island Now

World-renowned country/rock group, Antigone Rising, is known for their Billboard Heatseekers chart-topper, “Don’t Look Back,” and touring alongside the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, The Allman Brothers Band, Rob Thomas and many other headline performers.

They are currently making history again with their non-profit, Girls Rising, and their BeachFest Weekend.

Now in its fourth year, this musical celebration of the global work of Girls Rising, a certified 501.c.3 non-profit organization started by the band, will once again come to Sea Cliff on Friday, Sept. 15 and Saturday, Sept. 16.

BeachFest is a free event for the community and a trailblazing festival where all the performers are women.

The Youth Spotlight Stage gives up-and-coming female performers a chance to gain experience alongside the Capital One Main Stage, featuring national touring artists.

“The Girls Rising mission is to inspire and elevate girls and women to reach their full potential,” says Antigone Rising. “Through the power of music and example, we work to build their skills and confidence to excel in life, which in turn builds stronger communities.”

Through engaging conversation about their own experiences as women in the music industry, performance and the power of example, Girls Rising outreach programs aim to entertain, educate, encourage and inspire young women to go beyond the boundaries society places on gender and become game changers.

Antigone Rising believes that girls and young women need to see strong, empowered women succeeding in non-traditional roles.

The Girls Rising outreach programs demonstrate to girls (and boys) that strong women exist and have much to contribute to art, culture, sports, finance, business and the world around them.

With BeachFest, this mission is brought to life showcasing the band’s truly inspiring work.

Expected to attract over 4,000 people over the course of two days, the event will have live music performances on two stages and feature national touring female artists, youth performers, a celebrity panel discussion, local artisans and food/drink vendors.

The 2017 Kick Off Fundraiser, for those donating $75 or more to Girls Rising, will be held Friday, Sept. 15 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Sea Cliff Firehouse located at 67 Roslyn Ave. in Sea Cliff.

Girls Rising will award the first annual Sheila Primont Scholarship and the Milt Okun Scholarship to two deserving young women from Long Island.

The Sheila Primont Scholarship will be presented by the Broadway star, Linda Eder, who will perform alongside the many talented BeachFest performers in an intimate, acoustic and what is sure to be a collaborative night of music.

Along with live music, there will be an open bar, comedy, raffle and light fare at the Friday night event.

The free, BeachFest festival on Saturday begins at 12 p.m.

In addition to Antigone Rising, the Capital One Main Stage will feature Williams Honor, Garrison Starr, Edie Carey and Julia Weldon.

The new Youth Spotlight Stage will allow aspiring artists to benefit from a real stage experience alongside main stage national acts.

The outreach workshop and Q&A panel beginning at 2 p.m. will be the centerpiece of the day.

Antigone Rising and selected women across a spectrum of other industries will come together to discuss women in business, gender bias and succeeding in male-dominated industries.

Last year’s panel moderated by Emmy award-winning TV personality, Carolyn Gusof, was a great success.

This year’s panel will include former New York Liberty and Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Sue Wicks, among other high-profile women.

Throughout the year, Girls Rising partners with school districts, youth centers, and corporations to create empowering and innovative programming that inspires young girls and women through live performances, presentations and workshops.

BeachFest also serves to raise funds and awareness for these continued efforts.

This year’s BeachFest is sure to bring an educational, informative and rockin’ experience to Sea Cliff this weekend.

For more information on Girls Rising, go to www.GirlsRising.org and for more on Antigone Rising, visit www.AntigoneRising.com.

Share this Article