Antigone Rising bandmates, Nini Camps, Kristen Ellis-Henderson, and Cathy Henderson, will host their 5th Annual Girls Rising BeachFest to celebrate and bring awareness to their nonprofit (501c3), Girls Rising on Saturday, June 30th. The centerpiece of the day long music festival held at Sea Cliff Beach Pavilion will be a Girls Rising outreach and panel discussion, giving those in attendance a glimpse at the work the band has been doing nationally and globally to promote gender equality.

This year’s panel will be moderated by TV Host and 4x Grammy nominee, Carnie Wilson (Wilson Phillips). Carnie will lead Olympic Hockey Gold Medalist, Angela Ruggiero, WNBA All- Star Sue Wicks (NY Liberty), Grammy winning songwriter Julie Gold, and groundbreaking comedian Suzanne Westenhoefer through a thought provoking conversation in which they will share their experiences overcoming adversity in their chosen professions.

BeachFest 5 will have two stages showcasing local and national female artists. Highlights of the day will include a performance by 4th grader, Mae Curiale, whom Kristen and Nini discovered at this year’s Sea Cliff School Jamboree! “Three notes into her performance I knew we had to have Mae on our KidzBop Youth Stage for BeachFest 5,” said Nini Camps. North Shore High School senior, Ella Oswald, will return for a second year, and eighteen year old Jess Girillo will round out the KidzBop Youth Stage artists.

The free day long festival will open at 12 noon with specialty vendors like Robin Baskin Designs, Hillary De Roy and Peace Soap, Fabulous Faces (face painting by Patricia), RADD Crossfit Kids, Gritty Buddha Yoga, Hula Hoop Dance Party with Alison Lehrman, paddle board events by Coastal Paddle and more along the beach. There will be a suggested donation with all proceeds to benefit Girls Rising (501 c3).

BeachFest 5 MainStage highlights include a 12:30PM set by children’s recording artist, Joanie Leeds, guaranteed to get the kids up off their beach blankets and shimmying to her kid inspired tunes, “Ferry Nice,” “Mosquitoes,” and “The Tofurkey Song!”
 

National MainStage artists include Nasvhille, TN multi-instrumentalist, Sinclair, who is currently on tour with American Idol’s Daughtry. Cuban rock band, “Sweet Lizzy Project,” will take a break from recording their debut album for The Mavericks MonoMundo Record Label. And, of course, the night will be capped off by a full set of music from Sea Cliff’s very own Antigone Rising.

Kristen Ellis-Henderson said, “We love the opportunity to give back to the community with a day long free festival of music and vendors, not only because we feel the work we are doing with Girls Rising is so important, but because so many people in our community have supported us in all we do.”

On Friday night, June 29th, Antigone Rising will continue their tradition of holding a special VIP Girls Rising fundraising event the night before BeachFest. “The Girls Rising Game Changer Awards” sponsored by Bedell Wine Cellar & Garvies Point Craft Brewery, will give friends and fans the opportunity to get up close with all the artists. Grammy award winning songwriter, Julie Gold, will present Carnie Wilson (Wilson-Phillips) with the 1st ever Girls Rising Game Changer Award. "Both Carnie and Julie have been inspirations to so many, real positive voices for girls and women, and a great supporters of all we are doing with Girls Rising," noted Cathy Henderson. 

Emcee for both events will be comedian, Suzanne Westenhoefer, whose groundbreaking career has included performances on David Letterman and her own HBO Special.