Food Aid, a two-day musical celebration, begins August 23 in Forest Park. The goal of the event is to raise funds to help alleviate hunger and food insecurity in the communities of the Westside and surrounding suburbs.
The festival is hosted by Robert’s Westside, 7321 Madison St., together with its partner WBEZ. This year marks the third time it has taken place.
The Food Aid Festival offers community members the opportunity to come together to enjoy live entertainment while supporting an important cause, said Donnie Biggins, owner of Robert’s Westside.
Organizations receiving proceeds from this event include Unity Fridges (SUA), Beyond Hunger, A House in Austin, Austin Eats Initiative, Best of Proviso Township, and Westchester Food Pantry.
Biggins said he has invited a number of musicians to introduce new genres of music and he already has a professional relationship with many of them.
“We’re always excited to host fantastic musicians and I think we have a purpose in booking an eclectic mix of music for this event,” said Biggins. “I want everyone to discover something new.”
Entrance to the festival is at 6:30 p.m., the music starts at 7:00 p.m. The event is open to those aged 21 and over, but participants under 21 are allowed to enter if accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Headlining the first day of the festival is James McMurtry, an American rock and folk/rock singer, songwriter and guitarist from Austin, Texas. McMurtry recently released “The Horses and the Hounds,” his first full-length studio album in the Americana genre in seven years.
The first night will also feature a performance by Chicago-based contemporary blues musician Anne Harris, as well as DJ sets by Stoned at the Jukebox.
Headlining the second day of the festival is Lydia Loveless, an American alternative country singer-songwriter whose latest album, “Nothing’s Gonna Stand in My Way Again,” was released in 2023. Other musical talents in the 2024 lineup include Nikki Morgan, High Desire, Frankie Lloyd, Chris Green Quartet, Cheryl Tomblin and North Grove.
In addition to live entertainment, visitors can also enjoy food and win raffle prizes. General admission tickets are $55, while a reserved table plus general admission is $65 per seat. Tickets are sold in groups of four to six people.
“I want people to experience different styles of music together,” Biggins said. “This event is about bringing the community together … and doing our part. I want to encourage people to take a risk … to show up, whether they know the name or not.”
Lynette Kelly, co-executive director of A House in Austin, said she is excited to see the growth of one of A House in Austin’s programs thanks to the festival’s support. The program is called My Fresh Table and offers a four-week cooking class to eight families in each class.
“We are excited about the continued support for the My Fresh Table program to continue to grow it,” Kelly said. “When it comes to health and nutrition, we realize that parents were once children, so they are basically preparing the same meals they ate as children, and in our community, those meals are often not very healthy.”
Now in its third year, My Fresh Table empowers families to make healthier choices by teaching participants about nutrition labels, budgeting and meal prep. Participants in the program also receive groceries for two meals per class and a personalized recipe binder.
“What I’m really proud of is the vegetables, the produce,” Kelly said. “They’re in most of the dishes so people get used to putting vegetables in what they’re making.”
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