The Revival Music Festival

The act of reviving Springfield from its recent troubles with substance addiction became the goal of a group of performers and vendors who came together Saturday to form The Revival Music Festival.
http://www.vermontjournal.com/content/revival-music-festival

The Revival Music Festival Submitted by VT Journal on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 3:36pm By SUMMER RITTER The Shopper SPRINGFIELD, VT -The Webster’s Dictionary defines the word “revive” as: “to become active or flourishing again” and “to restore from a depressed, inactive, or unused state.” The act of reviving Springfield from its recent troubles with substance addiction became the goal of a group of performers and vendors who came together to form The Revival Music Festival on Saturday, August 2nd at the Turning Point Recovery Center. This family-friendly event was an opportunity for the community to rally together for a positive, fun-filled event. John Keefe was involved in promoting the event, as well as performing with his group “Cause and Effect.” “I've been wanting to do something to give back to Springfield since I started throwing shows,” said Keefe in an email. “A group of friends and I decided the best way we could give back is to bring the community together against our biggest problem, drug abuse. We want to show the town, mainly the youth, there is other ways to productively use your time. Music is our main platform to show them, but we want to stress it can be anything. Find what you love and work at it every day!” The organizers were successful in this endeavor, as community members turned out to hear performances and visit vendors throughout the event, which lasted from 12 – 6 p.m. Performers included: Travis Parker, Crazy Love, John Sullivan and Friends, Johnny O, DJ Renicholas, Team Dilligaf, and Cause and Effect. Vendors included: The Hole in the Hill, Old World Pizza, and Heidi’s Simply Sweet Creations. “Planning the event was fun, I got to meet up with my friend Mike Johnson from The Turning Point to go over ideas weekly,” said Keefe. “We also involved Nick Deistlerand and Jay Gibbs from Eight Zero Two Productions. They were a big help in spreading the word.” Promotion of the event included posters, a Facebook event page, and a promotional video that interviewed staff members from Turning Point and Greater Falls Connections, as well as performer Vazy Beats. While this event was an opportunity to do something constructive, it was also an opportunity to benefit the Turning Point Recovery Center, located at 7 Morgan Street. According to the Turning Point’s mission the organization is “dedicated to serving the comprehensive needs of people affected by addiction in the greater Springfield area.” The organization provides transitional housing, support from certified recovery coaches, as well as vocational training for those affected by substance addiction. “I hope the town of Springfield realizes it's up to us to stop the drugs and violence in town,” said Keefe. “It's not the police or the judicial system that will do it. It's up to us as a town to come together and show some pride!