By Jessica Godart
Bringing a personal touch to the Del Ray Music Festival was not hard for the eighth annual celebration this year.
Local singer Stephen Jackson and the rest of his band, The PieTasters, headline the show, but chairman of the festival board Kate Moran and her group, The Kate Moran Band,will also be featured.
The celebration will take place on June 28 with over a dozen bands lined up on both the side stage and main stage. The PieTasters will be the final show of the night with their unique ska genre of music, a type of sound combining Caribbean mento and American jazz together.
For Moran, this year’s celebration comes “bittersweet” to the artist and chairperson as this is her final year running the show. “I definitely enjoyed every years that we’ve done this. It’s the time to do some different things.”
By “different things” Moran refers to her recently started group, Rainbow Rock, a band geared more towards children. She also has plans to begin a children’s music festival to “[highlight] some of the local children’s bands that we have here in the DMV area,” according to Moran.
“I have come across so many talented children’s bands in our area, I thought it would be fun to bring them to Del Ray for the day,” said Moran.
This year’s lineup will include bands such as Elroy Jenkins, The Cowards Choir, Classified Frequency, Andrea Pais, The Lauren Calve Band and Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray. There will be student performances from the Rock of Ages Music Company during the day.
There will also be food available from Popped! Republic, Rita’s and Pork Barrel BBQ. From noon until 5 p.m., kids are able to enjoy a variety of festival favorites such as a moon bounce, face painting and craft activities.
“The best show is when the audience is having a good time,” said Jackson. “Del Ray is a great neighborhood with a lot of great people.
He and fellow band member Jeremy Roberts have both lived in Del Ray. Jackson said it’s good to go back and perform for the old neighborhood.
“I just hope we put on a good show because I have to see these people every day,” said Jackson, adding jokingly that the show better be good or else his neighbors “will throw rocks at me.”
8th Annual Del Ray Music Festival
Saturday, June 28
2701 Commonwealth Ave.
Alexandria, 22305
Admission is Free
