Four years ago, the now husband-and-wife duo that make up Jacksonville Beach-based Flagship Romance, founded the Clean Water Music Fest in order to raise money locally in order to make a global impact.
The festival will take place this Saturday, Sept. 26 from noon to 10 p.m. at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall. One hundred percent of the proceeds benefit charity: water, an organization that provides safe, clean drinking water to communities in Ethiopia, Rwanda, Mali and Niger.
The duo that make up Flagship Romance, Shawn Fisher and Jordyn Jackson, just returned from a 65-date tour across the country less than a week ago. They had to plan some of this year’s festival from the road, but they are really excited for the event, Fisher said. The pair originally started the event as a way to showcase local talent while raising money for a good cause.
Musical acts featuring local and national talent will perform on two stages. About 20 bands are scheduled to perform, including local talent The WillowWacks, Sidereal and Be Easy, and many more. This year, Fisher said they also wanted to bring in national music acts. National headliners include The Bright Light Social Hour, a psychedelic rock band from Austin, a fold rock duo comprised of sisters, Lark and Poe from Nashville, and Israel Nash, classic rock and roll artist from Tennessee.
Scheduled performers span many genres of music.
Entry to the festival is free, but there is a suggested donation of $15. The family-friendly event will also feature a local vendors market, food truck court, and a silent auction and raffle.
“A generous contributor is matching every single donation that is coming into charity water campaigns,” Fisher said. “So everyone’s impact is essentially doubled when they donate for the event.”
As singers, Fisher said he and Jackson each drink a gallon of water a day, so when it came to picking a charity to benefit, it was a no brainer he said. Giving back is something the couple strongly believes in.
“The two of us always felt that when you’re given a gift, when you’re given a passion for something, in our case when you’re given a stage and a microphone and a crowd that listens to you perform, you should use that platform to do something bigger than yourself — reaching out and giving back to something larger than yourself,” he said. “There are 663 million people on this Planet without a basic need.”
Since the inaugural event in 2012, over $90,000 has been raised for the clean water cause. This year, Fisher says they hope to surpass the $100,000 mark.
The Ponte Vedra Concert Hall is located at 1050 A1A N., Ponte Vedra Beach. For more information about the Clean Water Music Fest or to make a donation, visit www.cleanwatermusicfest.org.
