Mark your calendars for Saturday and Sunday, July 26–27, for AtwoodFest 2014, presented by our new neighbor, the Monona State Bank.

After 30+ years, the annual Atwood Summerfest has a new name, a new operating structure, and a new energy. The 2014 version of the east side’s storied neighborhood celebration will have improvements you will be able to see, hear, taste, and feel.
The new AtwoodFest will benefit the Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center, the Schenk-Atwood-Starkweather-Yahara Neighborhood Association (SASYNA), and the Schenk Atwood Revitalization Association (SARA). Once again, it will be held on the 2000 block of Atwood Avenue.

Gary Kallas, director of Wil-Mar said, “What an exciting group this is to work with. The partnership has been electric, with ideas and energy flowing really nicely. This could be the best neighborhood party yet, and that’s really saying something.”

The continuing goal of AtwoodFest is to build community in this vital pocket of the east side, while putting on an event that’s both entertaining and sustainable.

There will be continuous live music from 18 bands, including some of Madison’s best, along with great regional acts from Milwaukee, Chicago, and Minneapolis. The bands will perform on two larger relocated music stages with the best production AtwoodFest has ever had. The Alchemy/Max Ink Radio Stage will be on the street in front of Tex Tubb’s Taco Palace. The Harmony/Maximum Ink Stage will be in the Monty’s Blue Plate parking lot.

What would Atwood Fest be without VO5? We don’t want to know, so they’re back and will close the Harmony Stage Saturday night. The closing act for the Alchemy Stage on Saturday night will be star local Madison funksters, The Mustache.

Sunday highlights include:  the first festival performance of 20 piece local all-star-band STEELY DANE, who will close AtwoodFest with the music of Steely Dan; Chicago’s Steepwater Band, which will play AtwoodFest just days after returning from a 2 month European tour; and Minneapolis R&B favorites, Sonny Knight and the Lakers, who will be making their first ever Madison appearance

There will be a larger totally reimagined Kid’s Fest in the United Way parking lot, with a Kid’s Music Stage, climbing wall and much more, all sponsored by Liz Lauer & Associates.

Fine Wisconsin beers, and local food vendors and merchants will also be featured.

An amazing Eastside Eats raffle features a grand prize of twenty $50 gift certificates to twenty eastside restaurants.  Second prizes include additional restaurant and Wisconsin Union Theater gift certificates. The Wil-Mar and Goodman food pantries exclusively benefit from the raffle.

For a complete up to date listing of stage schedules and performer information, including pictures, bios, web and video links, go to www.AtwoodFest.org/.

Proceeds from AtwoodFest 2014, happening July 26th and 27th, will be split between Wil-Mar, SASYNA and SARA, all three of whom are committed to reinvesting the funds into the community.

The new organizers thank the Goodman Community Center for their many years of wonderful sponsorship, and look forward to offering a familiar, yet expanded festival.

Get updates at www.AtwoodFest.org/.  Get involved by emailing info@AtwoodFest.org/, or by visiting www.sasyna.org/.