3rd Annual Music Festival Rocks Del Ray with Fun for All

The 3rd Annual Wilderness Kids Community Music Festival rocked Del Ray on Sunday, September 29, with hundreds in attendance over the course of the day. Six bands, including the Maysuns (pictured), entertained the crowd. Photo Credit: Theogony Staff.

In the words of the Irish Rovers, "Wasn't that a party?"

The 3rd Annual Wilderness Kids Community Music Festival brought music and lots of fun to the heart of Del Ray on Sunday, September 28, with six local bands entertaining a crowd of hundreds over the course of five fun-filled hours.

Little ones enjoyed arts and crafts at the Festival. Photo courtesy of Theogony Staff.

Kids enjoyed face-painting, making friendship bracelets, and making rock art. Other attendees challenged a friend to a game of cornhole or ping-pong, and still others just tuned into the music coming from the talented artists on stage.

In addition to having loads of fun, attendees and event sponsors contributed more than $25,000 to support the work of Wilderness Kids. The event was generously sponsored by Alexandria Toyota; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP; James Crowe Realty; the Jen Walker Team; Latham & Watkins, LLP; Burke & Herbert Bank; Simpson Development; Bagel Uprising; Tartan Properties; and Pork Barrel BBQ.

VIP Guest Mayor Gaskins shared her thoughts about Alexandria's green spaces and our youth's desire to get out and enjoy them and how Wilderness Kids is making that happen. She also brought along her own VIP to share the stage with her!

The Festival was also supported by dozens of local businesses who contributed gifts for the raffle. Click on the poster below for more details on these supporters.

The day also featured a visit by Mayor Alyia Gaskins. The Mayor took the stage with her daughter and shared a story about a recent experience she had speaking with Alexandria youth. Those young people talked about how much they loved Alexandria's open spaces and how they wanted more opportunity to do get out into nature. One young man then told the Mayor that he specifically enjoyed getting to know these green places through Wilderness Kids!

Bands included Redwood and Beachface, both of which came up through the ranks of the ROAM music program and feature local high school students. The Czars of Leisure and Mustard Tiger were newcomers to the Wilderness Kids Festival while the Dərds and the Maysuns, who closed the show out in hard-rocking fashion, made their returns to the annual event.

Local favorites, the Dərds, belted out classics from John Denver to the Who, and were one of six bands that entertained the crowd at the Festival. Photo courtesy of Theogony Staff.

Sponsor Alexandria Toyota parked a beautiful new Prius at the event for attendees to admire while sponsor Burke & Herbert Bank set up a tent at the event and gave away collapsible bowls great for camping, or for your dog. Event sponsor James Crowe not only helped organize the event but also sang lead vocals with the Dərds. Long-time Wilderness Kids supporter and partner Patagonia also had a display and donated a beautiful and sturdy daypack to the raffle.

The Festival was held in Pat Miller Square, in the heart of Del Ray. Wilderness Kids is thankful to Pat and to all those -- musicians, sponsors, volunteers, raffle donors, and students--who made it possible. And very special thanks to all who came out for the day, had fun, and made a gift to Wilderness Kids.

The funds we raised will go towards supporting our four programs: After-School, Weekends, Summer, and Skills Cohorts. Learn more about the adventures we've undertaken lately here; or read about our mission here.

If you'd like to join Wilderness Kids as a volunteer on our next adventure, click here or email jerry@wildernesskidsalexandria.org. If you'd like to make a gift to support our work, click here.

We hope to see you out on the trail as well! We hope you'll take another minute to enjoy these photos of the day!

Left to Right, from top row: Wilderness Kids Board Chair, Joanna Bopp, helps an attendee buy a raffle ticket; Executive Director Jerry Casagrande, holds the mike for Ronmy, an 11th grade Wilderness Kids student, as he speaks about his Wilderness Kids experience; Stacey, a 12th grade student, and an attendee share their enthusiasm for Wilderness Kids; Redwood rocks the Festival; Wilderness Kids Outdoor Adventure Manager Matt shares his thoughts on stage; Mustard Tiger rocks out as newcomers to the Festival; Attendees strike a pose under the Wilderness Kids banner; Sisters and Wilderness Kids students, Douha and Douaa, share their experience; the Czars of Leisure brought their sound to the show; Douaa helps a youngster to make a friendship bracelet; Program Director Lizzie, student Stacy, and Outdoor Educator Tori love Wilderness Kids; and Wilderness Kids student Sandra, paints the face of a young attendee to the Festival.