(Photo cred for this article: Hello Headshots)

There are so many great things going on in Tulsa. I never realized how vast the local music scene was until a few years ago when I was asked to join the planning committee for a new music festival.

MisFEST: Music is She and She is Music

MisFEST’s focus is on supporting women in the music industry. Whether it is the lead singer, or the drummer, or the stage tech. Even though Tulsa has a huge music scene, it can be difficult to find female singers and musicians. The idea started when Casii Stephan and Amira Al-Jiboori (of Casii Stephan and the Midnight Sun) realized how much musical talent the women in Tulsa had… and how little attention they got for it. Right as they were designing an all-female showcase, they learned that Ryan from River Parks Authority was looking for a new festival idea. And the idea for MisFEST was born.

Women-led. Women-focused.

The three producers recruited other women for the planning committee. This was when I was asked to be the social media manager. Of course, I jumped at the chance. It is the best committee I’ve ever been on – everyone excited about the cause and everyone on board to make it successful.

From pitching sponsorships to finding food truck vendors, our mostly-female crew did it all. Slowly but surely, we found volunteers and sold tickets. And, as part of our mission to support women in the music industry, we made sure that all of our main acts on stage were compensated for their craft.

Year One

Success! Our first music festival.

It was a bit crazy and stressful, but we managed to work out a lot of the logistical kinks. We still had a great day, with attendees and volunteers who were really passionate about supporting women. The female-led bands appreciated the artist lounge that was decked out with finger food and comfy furniture.

We were all sunburned but feeling very accomplished by the end of the day.

Year Two

2018 was bigger and better. I’m so proud of the team and what we created!

The one (very successful) art installation from 2017 turned into multiple installations, some of which were interactive. The artists added an important visual dimension to MisFEST. We included a few vendors who were women-owned. And we added a well-designed entrance that brought attendees into the experience from the moment they stepped through the front gate.

I had a bigger and better social media team, too! With more photographers to capture the great experience we’ve created.

We’ve learned from years one and two, and I can feel things clicking into place.

Next Year

Will you be there? I’ll be there!