The fourth annual Levitate Music and Arts Festival proudly announces its 2016 lineup featuring “The Wheels of Soul Tour” with Tedeschi Trucks Band, Los Lobos, and North Mississippi Allstars, alongside Rebelution, Lettuce, Stick Figure, Moon Taxi,Twiddle, Nahko and Medicine for the People, The Movement, and Ron Gallo. The event takes place at the historic Marshfield Fairgrounds [140 Main Street, Marshfield, MA] on Saturday, July 9, 2016.  New this year is the option to camp at the beautiful Wompatuck State Park on Saturday night in a private area for Levitate fans.  General admission tickets are currently on sale at http://www.levitatemusicfestival.com.

The Levitate Music and Arts Festival’s (LMF) foundation is Levitate, a community oriented surf/skate shop and apparel line based out of Marshfield, MA.  Deeply rooted in surf, skate, art and music, Levitate threw the first LMF in 2013 as a ten year anniversary party, bringing together the community to celebrate music and the arts.  LMF has now grown into one of New England’s premier boutique festivals.  This annual festival has come a long way in just three short years.  Festival co-founder and Levitate owner Daniel Hassett enthusiastically states, “The event’s success is due to a hugely supportive community, which Levitate has been embedded in for more than a decade through our youth programs, beach cleanups, surf and skateboard contests and fundraising initiatives.”  He adds, “We take a lot of pride in bringing people together in a unique outdoors setting, in the grass, for a full day.  It brings out the best in our community and creates a laid back, old fashioned vibe.  It’s not only the excellent music, art, and food, but also the people in attendance at the festival who bring new friends each year and spread the word, that has allowed Levitate to grow in an organic way.”

2016’s lineup has a really special connection to South Shore Massachusetts with the headliner Tedeschi Trucks Band.  Susan Tedeschi of the blues-rock powergroup grew up in Norwell, MA, the town adjacent to Marshfield, and used to perform solo at the Marshfield Fairgrounds, where LMF is held.  Hassett explains, “The Tedeschi Trucks Band is our most requested band for our festival with such strong ties to this area, and we’ve been trying to book them since year one.”  He adds, “We are over the moon that we are able to bring them and their ‘Wheels of Soul Tour’ to Levitate and are honored that our festival is the only stop in the greater Boston area.”  Tedeschi Trucks Band recently released their third studio album Let Me Get By that is being praised by national critics including The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, Relix, and countless others.  Another South Shore musician, which is the only artist to play every year, is reggae band Stick Figure.  Their lead singer and frontman Scott Woodruff is originally from Duxbury, MA.  Stick Figure is touring to promote their Billboard chart topping reggae album Set In Stone.

In addition to music, Levitate takes pride in the arts and culinary elements of their festival.  During the event, the fairground is filled with large scale art installations and live art with 50 handpicked artists from the Northeast.  Jessica Hassett, festival co-founder and art director says, “Art plays just as much of a role as music does at Levitate.  We know that it enhances the overall experience of the event and showcases another side to our community.”  Sarah Gammon, who hand picks all the food and art vendors adds, “As an artist myself, it has been an honor to curate the vendors for the Levitate Music and Arts Festival. Our artists are hand-selected from all over New England and are chosen based on their unique, handmade work.  Food trucks are selected for their healthy and incredibly appetizing menu.”

Giving back to the community has always been a mission for the festival with non profit organizations playing a big role.  Each year the festival chooses five non profits alongside a long term non profit partner, which is the Boys and Girls Club.  For every ticket sold for Levitate, the festival donates $1 to the Boys and Girls Club of Marshfield.  Over the past few years, Levitate helped raise over $500,000, which was used to rebuild the town’s skateboard park.  The five non profit partners this year are the Love, Hope, Strength Foundation, Steven Zac Woods Scholarship Fund, North River Arts Society, and the Kyle Lemire Scholarship Foundation.

“The down to earth grassroots vibe and strong community combined with quality musical lineups and amazing drink/culinary offerings is what drew me into partnering with Levitate,” says Ineffable Music Group owner and LMF co-owner Thomas Cussins.  He concludes, “With so many music festivals popping up, it’s rare to see such a quality festival stay so unique and exponentially grow at the same time.”

 Full Artist Line-Up:

• “The Wheels of Soul Tour”: Tedeschi Trucks Band w/ Los Lobos and North Mississippi Allstars
• Rebelution
• Lettuce
• Stick Figure
• Moon Taxi
• Nahko and Medicine for the People
• Twiddle
• The Movement
• Ron Gallo

 
FESTIVAL DETAILS
The Fourth Annual Levitate Music and Arts Festival
Date: Saturday, July 9, 2016
Time: Doors 12:00 PM
Venue: Marshfield Fairgrounds
Address: 140 Main Street, Marshfield, MA 02050
Admission: Varies (Purchase Link: http://www.levitatemusicfestival.com/#!tickets/c10fk)
Age restrictions: All Ages