From 11:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Oct. 2, Twin Pines Park of Belmont was full of life.
Parents danced along to the live music, reliving their younger days. Meanwhile, children carried dozens of tickets, looking for the best way to spend them. Volunteers of all ages sported a purple shirt and aided those in need.
This event was the 14th annual Save the Music Festival.
Save the Music is an annual event that showcases local bands, performers, and musicians from the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District. The festival also includes food and activities for children.
This event is organized by School-Force to raise funds to maintain music programs in the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District.
Belmont Vice-Mayor Charles Stone said, “Save the Music is really the only thing we have in Belmont that unites different people from all over the community to come together and support our schools.”
Many clubs at Carlmont use this festival to also raise funds for their own events. This year, Carlmont Choir accepted donations for their Choir tour to Carnegie Hall in New York.
“Volunteers from all of the different choirs raised funds for our trip to New York to sing in Carnegie Hall next April. The trip is obviously an amazing opportunity, so lots of people were happy to support us. We also advertised our upcoming Pops Benefit Concert, Heroes and Villains, which helps raise money for the choir program and the trip as well,” said junior Kiran Boone.
Students also use this festival as an opportunity to give back to their community by volunteering.
Freshman Kelly-Anne Cumiskey said, “I have always wanted to volunteer at Save the Music, but because I was not in high school yet, I couldn’t. Now, I get to hang out with my friends and help out at the same time. I like volunteering and I love Save the Music, so both of them together is pretty fun. ”
Save the Music has been integrated into the lives of many students who have participated in the festival for many years.
“It’s a festival I’ve gone to all my life. I’ve performed several times with various music groups and I’ve been a volunteer for six years. I love it because it’s fun to watch the different groups that perform and look at the various booths. It’s also fun to talk to different members of the community and support music education,” said junior Carrie Welter.
Save the Music will continue to improve the music program in the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District for many years to come with the help of passionate community members.
“Without these types of events and the fundraising School-Force does, we would not be able to preserve music in the lower grades and at Ralston in the fashion that we do. That would be devastating considering the great advantage that music presents at a young age in terms of brain development,” said Stone.
