Will Patterson
A&E EDITOR
The ninth annual Maha Music Festival will once again be taking place in Aksarben Village on Aug. 19. The grassy bowl of Stinson Park will serve as the amphitheater for the festival, while local nonprofits will have stands providing alternative entertainment and activities.
General admission tickets are $55 if purchased in advance. Tickets on the day of the festival will have an increased price of$65 which will give access to the entirety of the festival’s performance and Community Village activities. The $185 VIP package was sold out at the time of publishing.
This year’s lineup for Maha Music Festival will be giving the audience a healthy mix of local emerging artists and nationally known acts.
The headlining performance will be Run the Jewels, the rap duo composed of Killer Mike and El-P. Their show will be featuring new music from their latest release,“Run the Jewels 3,” which is available for free download on their website.
Another notable act and local favorite that will be returning to their home city is The Faint. Maha will be a stop on their tour for their latest album, “Capsule: 1996-2016,”which will be looking into The Faint’s Omaha origins in addition to their future plans.
The full list of groups that will be performing can be found at the Maha Music Festival website.
A unique aspect of the festival is its non-profit nature. The event is made possible by a long list of local sponsors, one of which is the University of Nebraska at Omaha.Many of the sponsors are nonprofits that are active in the community and help bring awareness to a variety of causes. Group swill include Planned Parenthood, KANEKO, Sienna/Francis House and many others.
Given the community theme of Maha Music Festival, volunteers are a big part of what makes it all possible. Volunteers receive a general admission ticket in addition to a T-shirt to commemorate the festival.Those who are interested in volunteering can sign up on the festival’s website.
Maha Music Festival’s Community Village gives a platform to the festival sponsors.The village will have stands for local non-profits spreading awareness for various issues while also providing fun activities.
A theme that will be prevalent at this year’s Maha Music Festival is suicide awareness and prevention.
More information about Maha Music Festival’s efforts to bring awareness to mental health can be found on their website and blog. Going beyond the Saturday festival,Maha keeps active in the community year-round with updates on their social media aimed at keeping the conversation going.
Those who are interested in biking to Maha Music Festival are encouraged to do so. The festival is taking place along Keystone Trail for easy access to cyclists. A valet service with bike racks will be available at the festival.
