Rock hard and thrive with mothers and the people who love them at the 15th Annual Mamapalooza Outdoor Extravaganza on Sunday, May 15, from noon until 2 p.m.
This festival features music, family-focused vendors, wellness activities, art, and activism. 2016’s theme inspires all to find their voice and bring a message of peace, tolerance, and equality.
This year’s talent lineup includes:
Vered and the Babes are a downtown Doo-Wop band meets an upbeat Peter, Paul and Mary. Their playful vocal harmonies and creative instrumentation including lively horns and even pots and pans keep parents and kids jumping and singing along throughout the show. They sing about everything that being a parent and a baby brings – the elated highs of loving each other and the much needed time outs – for the parents! Vered’s albums, Good Morning My Love and Hello My Baby are Gold Award Winners from both the Parents’ Choice Foundation and from National Parenting Publications. Parents often say that Vered’s music is like a soundtrack to life with their little ones because it brings them together in the loving and playful moments and feels like an understanding friend in the challenging ones.
Jeanette Berry and the Soul Nerds is a revolving group of musicians centered around lead vocalist Jeanette Berry and her original songs. Whether R&B, Soul, Jazz, Reggae, the Blues, Funk or Neo-Soul, this group tells stories through music that bridge over genre to the heart of all things; Love.
Miranda Writes is a crusader for positivity. Heavily influenced by classic hip-hop and current legends alike, Writes relentlessly fires her message “Light Prevails Dark” over nostalgic but catchy beats. Hip-hop fans spanning generations have acclaimed Writes a breath of fresh air for her timeless style and meaningful lyrics.
j and the 9s are a hard hitting, costumed flute rock experience from Brooklyn, NY that breed together rock and roll riffs, the raw sound of punk, and an entertaining interactive stage show.
Cecilia Villar Eljuri’s music is a mirror on this generation’s global fusion reflecting her Spanish and Lebanese heritage, the rhythms of her homeland, Ecuador, and the punk and rock & roll from the melting pot of her youth in NYC. Eljuri filters life’s daily cacophony into beautiful music with vital meaning. She floats, indeed soars to heights unreached by any other Latina electric guitarist.
Mamapalooza is women, m/others, musicians, authors, comics, dancers, filmmakers, designers, craftswomen, educators, merchants, and community leaders coming together in a collaborative effort to highlight the challenges of motherhood in an ever-evolving personal, social, cultural, sexual, and political landscape.
Mamapalooza, Inc. recognizes and honors the growing awareness of moms; their personal stories, their power as both consumers and constituents, and their continuing need and desire to creatively express themselves while building Mom-based businesses that sustain them. They recognize that art is a tool for social change. Mamapalooza encourages women to use their medium to build self esteem, break down stereotypes, create unity, encourage diversity, inspire individuality, and empower future generations. They recognize that art elevates the spirit in times of hardship and transition, lending joy to everyday life. Our creations celebrate our humanity, define our experiences, and serve as healers and peacemakers. They recognize the vital importance to laying a new foundation for women who are mothers and the impact this has on future generations. Mamapalooza is strongly committed to our youth and is committed to changing the perception that children are a liability in the professional and performing arts world – they are often inspiration and foundation for our creative and commercial endeavors.