Home Art & Culture Idyllwild songwriters retreat and festival a success

Idyllwild songwriters retreat and festival a success

January 14, 2020

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*Founder* **Brett Perkins** *introduces the performers Saturday at Town Hall during the all-day Songwriters Festival.*
*Photo by Jenny Kirchner*

The one-day Songwriters Festival last Saturday was a success for Idyllwild. The event raised $600 in ticket sales for the Idyllwild HELP Center and the Idyllwild Community Center (ICC).

An additional $900 donation was made to the Idyllwild HELP Center by the Idyllwild Listening Room Songwriting Retreat sponsorship that was held at Spirit Mountain Retreat the week leading up to the festival.

*One of the local bands performing at the Songwriters Festival was Midnight Tea. From left,* **Peter Kindfield**, **Brian Tracy** *and* **Ann Kindfield***. Photo by Jenny Kirchner*

The HELP Center raised an additional $200 from the pop-up boutique at the event.

In total, there were 14 acts. Fifteen participants from the Idyllwild Listening Room Songwriting Retreat debuted the songs they created.

*The Brothers Landau of Altadena, California, performed cello, guitar and vocals drawing on elements of pop, rock, jazz, Bossa Nova, classical and folk.*
*Photos by Jenny Kirchner*

A donation jar, set up for the musicians who traveled to help pay for fuel, raised $133 and was divided amongst the acts. All the musicians played for free. Musicians traveled from Cathedral City, Fullerton, La Mesa, Moreno Valley, Palm Springs, Pasadena, Phoenix, Prescott, Riverside and Yorba Linda.

*Town Hall was filled with eager music lovers during the Songwriters Festival at Town Hall Saturday.*
*Photo by Jenny Kirchner*

The 16 participants at the retreat spent money in town at local businesses, helping the economy as a whole. Founder Brett Perkins estimates that amount was over $12,000.

“I feel fantastic about the results — from the wide range of talent, audience numbers, attentiveness (including two standing ovations at different times) and overall spirit of the whole day,” said Perkins. “The ICC told me the $300 they received from half the total ticket sales will fund child care for a working family for two months, and I look forward to hearing what the $1,400 combined [from the] retreat and festival donations will provide for Idyllwild HELP Center clientele.”