Ladyfest makes record contribution to anti-domestic violence program

A significant donation has been made toward the fight to end domestic violence on the Island. 

Organizers behind the music festival Ladyfest Martha’s Vineyard donated $25,000 to Connect to End Violence, a program run by Martha’s Vineyard Community Services with a mission to reduce domestic and sexual violence on the Island. 

Kelly Feirtag, one of the founders of Ladyfest, said the festival has been partnered with the program since 2017, and this is the largest contribution they’ve ever made. “This is solidly the biggest one we’ve been able to do,” Feirtag said. The contribution was made up of a combination of donations and the record-breaking ticket sales. 

Feirtag attributed the success to the performers and the community’s curiosity of how the concert would fare after the venue changed from Circuit Avenue to Waban Park. The October event was headlined by Grammy awardwinning jazz musician Esperanza Spalding, but Islanders also received a surprise closing act of local talent Ben Taylor with his mother Carly Simon and sister Sally Taylor. 

Ladyfest began as an effort to lift up women’s voices and advocate for creative individuals on the Island. Feirtag and Ladyfest co-founder Rose Guerin decided to bring women performers to the forefront, and held the concerts in October to cater to year-round Islanders. October was also chosen since it is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. 

Feirtag said the organizers were “so honored to partner” with Connect to End Violence and celebrated that the money would go toward the center. 

“We’re super-happy about that,” Feirtag said.