On Sunday, a new Minnesota music festival was announced: FEmn Fest (fem-n fest). It is the premiere (and only) female-focused festival in Minnesota. The to-be-determined lineup will feature women-identified performers, feminist workshops and more for three full days, Sept. 15-17, at a barn in Wrenshall, site of the annual Free Range Film Festival, among other things.
Although they are the biggest audience at music festivals, women are historically under-represented as music festival performers. Organizers from the music and events scene in Duluth seek to address and change this.
"The ratio of men to women in the music industry is pitiful,” said co-producer and musician Kat Fox. “Women make up less than (roughly) 10 percent of festival lineups across the board. There are way too many talented women in the world for this to be the standard."
Even though the team is Duluth-based, co-producer Abigail Mlinar believes the festival will have a wide draw.
“We anticipate the backing of the entire state of Minnesota to come enjoy the unique and powerful event," Mlinar said.
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The organizers are seeking sponsors, performers, partners and venders. Tickets will be launched in the coming months. All interested parties are encouraged to follow FEmn Fest's social media accounts for updates.
