Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Turner.
Hi Kate, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Music at Midsummer began as a simple and small gathering in the mountains where friends came together to make music, create art, build community, and celebrate the summer solstice. Through solidarity, love, and the hope for building a better world, we all came together once a year and offered an alternative to the status quo. Over the years, the community grew beyond expectations and became a place to learn, grow, organize, and heal. Music at Midsummer became more than a festival, it became a family for everyone involved.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Organizing is never easy. An outdoor music festival has an extensive amount of logistical issues to solve that includes funding, marketing, scheduling, managing the grounds, and ensuring safety and accessibility, all while maintaining a commitment to the values that make the gathering so special. Each year we have learned from mistakes made, and grown to overcome those mistakes to provide an even better experience the next year. One challenge with being such a small festival is a lack of access to resources that would be available to a larger production, such as big sponsorships.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Our production team is made up of creatives who primarily work seasonal jobs. Our 3 producers are Louis Rubino, Kate Turner, and Lydia Barrett. Kate and Louis are members of a band called Misfits of Ugly Hollywood, which has played at Music at Midsummer each year. All 3 producers are avid outdoor explorers and adventurers. While we write this Lydia is trekking along the Pacific Crest Trail.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
When I (Kate) was first invited out to Midsummer, it was through a friend of a friend that knew Louis. The band Misfits of Ugly Hollywood was then Chicago based and had no intentions of ever breaking out into the South East scene until Music at Midsummer 2021. I feel so lucky to be alive at this moment and to have met the incredible people who helped create Midsummer into something bigger than a gathering. I arrived at the first Midsummer as a musician and an attendee, and was brought into the scene like having met long-lost family members. MaM quickly became an event that I was deeply involved in that opened doors that went beyond the weekend of the summer solstice. I was lucky enough to have met Louis and Lydia who are friends I will have for life and to have helped produce an event that played such a pivotal role in my early 20’s. I feel beyond grateful and undoubtedly lucky to have had the opportunities and friends that led me to Music at Midsummer.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musicatmidsummer/?hl=en
- Other: musicatmidsummer@gmail.com
