Well, it’s officially summer — and what’s summer without a really great, not to mention free-admission, outdoor music festival?
On Thursday, July 17, Salt Lake Community College’s Resonance Club, in partnership with KRCL, will host the first annual Bearfoot Music Festival.
“It’ll be a fantastic way to spend a summer afternoon while participating in the local music community here in Salt Lake City,” says SLCC music student and Resonance Club Vice President Thomas Garwood. “Whether you are a student, a neighbor of the school, a music fan, or you’re just looking for something fun to do with the kids, it’s going to be exciting for everyone.”
Planning for the Bearfoot Music Festival has been in the works for several months now, however it isn’t until just recently that preparations have kicked into high gear.
The SLCC Resonance Club was established last fall to give students better opportunities in music production.
Resonance, an organization affiliated with SLCC’s music department, was established in fall of 2013, with the intent of providing students accessibility to music production and recording resources and enabling students to utilize those resources in a “mock-professional setting.” The idea behind the Bearfoot Music Festival stems from this mission.
“As music students we are engaging in a unique learning opportunity in which we are working together as a production company to make this festival happen,” says Garwood. “SLCC has always been focused on career training and when it comes to the music programs, it is no less practical in it’s approach.”
Hoping to expand the Bearfoot festival’s involvement toward the broader community, Resonance contacted the community funded music business and public radio station KRCL, for a little help in spreading the word.
“We got in touch with them through a club member who volunteers at KRCL,” says Garwood. “They are helping with promotion by associating their brand with what we are doing here at SLCC.”
The Bearfoot Music Festival is expected to draw a crowd with several local groups.
Garwood, who co-chairs the Bearfoot festival’s promotions committee along side Juliette Devette, believes number of attendees are expected to range anywhere from 150 to 200 people.
Bands that will be featured at the festival include Great Interstate, Band on the Moon and The Salt Lake Pops Quartet, as well as short performances from several local songwriters.
“As well as the live bands performing, we will have games for kids, tours of the new facility, and DJs spinning indoors if you want to dance the day away,” says Garwood.
Mexican food and frozen treats will be available for purchase, as well as Resonance Club promotional merchandise, from which all proceeds will go towards facilitating future events similar to the Bearfoot festival.
The music festival will bring awareness about the new facility and the new music curriculum for SLCC students.
“When I talk to people in the community and even students here at SLCC, a lot of them don’t know about the new facility and the new curriculum that is coming into place here,” says Garwood. “This festival will raise awareness of the programs that we provide for students interested in music and the unique hands on learning opportunities that [these programs provide].”
The Bearfoot Music Festival will be held near the east main entrance of SLCC’s South City Campus, and will take place between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Further information about the Bearfoot Music Festival can be found on the SLCC Resonance Club Facebook page at www.facebook.com/slccresonance.
