A new outdoor festival hosted by the Hennepin History Museum aims to celebrate the voices of local women artists and deepen community connection through music, poetry, and shared storytelling — as a statement of resistance against the current political landscape.
“It’s really important right now, in this time, in this political and social climate, to be listening to and empowering women and LGBTQ+ folks, at a time when our rights are being threatened,” said Claire Leslie Johnson, development manager at the Hennepin History Museum.
Hennepin Fest: A Women-Led Festival will take place from 2 to 7 pm Saturday, May 31, at Washburn Fair Oaks Park in Minneapolis. The free, family-friendly event will feature live performances by Twin Cities women artists across genres including blues, funk, pop, jazz and hip hop, as well as spoken word poetry, artisan vendors, and children’s activities.
“Part of our role as a community history organization is to help people understand themselves as historical actors and to see the news and events of our time as history in the making,” said Johnson.
“Hennepin Fest illuminates local women artists who serve as culture bearers and who transmit their personal and community history through music and art.”
Musical acts include Annie Mack, Connie Evingson, Maria Isa, and the sibling band NUNNABOVE. Local radio host and producer Diane Miller, who also serves as DJ and emcee for the event, played a key role in shaping the concert lineup.
“She knows the music scene so well and helped us achieve our goal of presenting a diverse range of voices and really unique musicians from Minnesota,” Johnson said.
Throughout the festival, poets Heid E. Erdrich, Joyce Sutphen and Mary Moore Easter will deliver spoken word performances.
Johnson said the museum’s focus is not only on showcasing history, but creating platforms where communities can tell their own stories. “We’re committed to telling stories together with community — not acting as curators or storytellers on behalf of other people,” she said.
The festival also aims to serve as a healing and unifying experience for attendees. “Music has the ability to create a collective consciousness — a sense of togetherness and belonging,” Johnson said.
“We’re hoping this event brings people together in a time when there’s a lot of divisiveness and even violence in our community.” Johnson added that the event is also an opportunity to reflect on and appreciate the rich legacy of women in Minnesota’s music history.
“From the Andrews Sisters and Judy Garland to Lizzo and Chastity Brown, there are so many amazing women artists from this state,” she said.
Hennepin Fest is supported in part by the Minnesota Humanities Center with funding from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, created by the vote of Minnesotans in 2008.
Washburn Fair Oaks Park is located across the street from the Hennepin History Museum at 200 E. 24th St. Attendees are encouraged to bring picnic blankets or lawn chairs. Bike racks are available, and free street parking can be found in the surrounding neighborhood.
The full performance schedule and additional event details can be found at hennepinhistory.org/hennepinfest.
Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@spokesman-recorder.com.