Music fest in Bradenton to raise money for suicide awareness and prevention
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BRADENTON, Fla. — An all-day music fest on Saturday in Bradenton will feature top national artists, and help raise money for suicide awareness and prevention. Speak Your Truth Music Fest will get underway at 11:30 a. m. , Saturday at Bradenton Motor Works Brewery.
The event is the brainchild of Beth Vandal, lead singer of A New Violet, a punk rock indie band from Orlando. Vandal says she came up with the idea of a music fest to raise money and awareness after losing someone to suicide. “I’ve lost people to suicide. Unfortunately, it’s one of the things that you kind of don’t know where to turn, you’ve never been in a situation like that. It was years ago but it can still affect you years later,” Vandal said.
The Southwest Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will be co-sponsor for the Music Fest. AFSP board co-chair Cheyenne Williams says she first participated in a suicide awareness walk in 2019 and has been involved in community events to raise awareness ever since.