If there were ever a reason needed to spend a day outdoors enjoying great local music, food and beer, BreastFest Athens is certainly cause enough to justify such an indulgence. The event takes place at Terrapin Beer Co. and supports breast cancer awareness and breast health. The lineup features music from local artists including Bloodkin, Kyshona Armstrong, Betsy Franck and the Bareknuckle Band, Betsy Kingston & the Crowns, Adam Payne, Mark Cunningham & the Nationals, 90 Acre Farm, Chris Moore, Clay Leverett, Dodd Ferrelle, The Granfalloons and more. There will be a smorgasbord of dining options, with food provided by local restaurants Five Star Day Cafe, Amici, Barberitos, the Georgia Theatre restaurant and Square One Fish Co. Of course, all of this can be washed down with beer tastings from the Terrapin Brewery. There are also brewery tours, a raffle, a silent auction and an entire section with activities for children. People who are truly dedicated to representing the cause, or who simply enjoy funky hair, can also receive pink hair extensions from City Salon.
BreastFest, which raised more than $15,000 last year, is poised to be even more successful this year. Among the more exciting new additions to the itinerary is the “Shave to Save Campaign.†Rachel Allen, the BreastFest public relations chair, says, “Some brave members of our community have pledged to raise at least $500 each to have their head shaved at BreastFest! Adam Payne, one of our musicians, wrote a pretty incredible letter to his friends and family asking them to give, and Tennis for Life Head Pro Paul Allen—who is also our much beloved emcee at BreastFest—has been growing his hair out for over two years, and will be shaving it onstage this year for the cause [and donating his hair to Locks of Love].â€
Betsy Franck, the head of musical booking for the event as well as one of this year’s performers, is thrilled to announce that the UGA Music Business School will be on hand this year to record the musical acts with its new mobile equipment. “They will turn this into a project where the students are in charge of recording, mastering, designing a CD and ultimately helping us market an album of local musicians that can be sold all year at our events and on the website,†says Franck.
St. Mary’s Women’s Diagnostic and Imaging Center will receive 90 percent of the day’s proceeds, and this money will be used to host a free mammogram day for qualifying women aged 40 and over who otherwise would not have the means to receive these vital tests. The other 10 percent of the funds raised will go to the Tyanna Foundation.
For more information and to buy tickets in advance, visit www.breastfest.org/cities/Athens.
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