BeachFest, the annual Long Island music festival thrown by all-female rock band Antigone Rising, is returning for its sixth year this month under a new name: The Girls Rising Music Festival.
The band rebranded the festival to raise awareness to their nonprofit, Girls Rising, whose mission is to empower girls to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM). Held in the band’s hometown of Glen Cove, the lineup includes Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Paula Cole, acclaimed folk singer Lucy Kaplansky, and singer-songwriter Jill Sobule, best known for the 1995 singles “I Kissed a Girl” and “Supermodel” from the Clueless soundtrack.
“We started Girls Rising because we believe kids need to see positive role models and we are doing our best to serve and provide positivity,” said Nini Camps, lead singer of Antigone Rising, which is also performing at the festival. “If you stay the course and keep putting one foot in front of the other, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.”
Besides the main stage, Kidz Bop will sponsor a second stage called The Youth Spotlight Stage, showcasing local acts, with performances by members of the North Shore Middle School Band, Glen Cove High School Concert Chorale, and Jazz Hands Children’s Theater Group performing songs from their spring musical, Mary Poppins.
“The festival is growing and we want to give kids in the surrounding communities opportunities,” said Cathy Henderson, one of Antigone Rising’s founding members.
The night before the festival will be the The Girls Rising Game Changer Awards fundraiser gala for the nonprofit at My Father’s Place in The Roslyn Hotel. The second annual event presents several college scholarships and extra curricular grants co-created by such luminaries as Melissa Etheridge, Joan Jett, Milt Okun and Carnie Wilson to underserved girls in the surrounding communities. The event will include performances by each of the headliners of the festival and give supporters a chance for meet and greets with the artists.
“I am so proud to be involved with Girls Rising,” said Melissa Etheridge. “It’s my greatest hope that this grant award inspires and empowers girls to be all they can be.”
The Girls Rising Music Festival will be held at Morgan Park on Germaine Street in Glen Cove, For more information visit antigonerising.com Free. Suggested donation: $15. 12 p.m.-10 p.m. June 22.
The Girls Rising Game Changer Awards will be held at My Father’s Place, 1221 Old Northern Blvd, Roslyn. For more information visit girlsrising.org $100-$900. 7 p.m. June 21.
