The 13th annual Save the Music Festival took place Oct. 4 in Twin Pines park of Belmont.

Three stages with live music and performers of all ages greeted visitors as they enter. The music fit all tastes; from pop to classical to rock, this festival had it all.

Save the Music raises money to maintain the music programs in Belmont-Redwood Shores School District, by supporting School-Force, the Belmont-Redwood Shores Education Foundation.

I had heard about this festival for years and finally decided to see if it lived up to the hype.

Many of Carlmont’s musicians performed, including Symphonic Band, Concert Choir, and the faculty band.

Concert Choir put on an amazing show. The a capella groups were truly entertaining and sounded well polished. The solos were moving, and the finale of “The Final Countdown” was full of enthusiasm.

Food trucks were everywhere, offering a great variety of tastes in addition to sounds. While great, the food required a twenty-minute wait and was a bit pricey.

My sister and I split some pasta and french fries, and we each got a drink from the Speedy Panini truck. This totaled $17.50.

I have to say I was surprised by the amount of people. There were long lines for nearly everything. That being said, the festival was well accommodated for such a large number of people. Save the Music had lots of seating and shade.

Volunteers were all over, marked with their green Save the Music shirts. They were all very nice and helpful, and many of them were even Carlmont students.

The festival had a lot to offer for young children too. There were multiple children’s performers as well as bounce houses. My two-year-old niece found herself entertained at the pumpkin-painting station. There was even an “instrument petting zoo” for kids to try out all kinds of instruments. All of this created an extremely family-friendly atmosphere.

I came to the conclusion that Save the Music has definitely earned its reputation.

4 / 5 stars