FemmeFest is a four-day collection of musical, artistic, and educational events in Columbus, Ohio that works to honor women of diverse identities and gender expressions in a celebration of creative resilience and power.

In our inaugural year, we invited over 40 Columbus bands/acts, 10 venues, and countless volunteers to donate time, talent, and resources to help raise awareness about anti-violence towards women and to raise funds for our charity, Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence [OAESV]. 100% of the $9,375.00 we raised went towards OAESV, who used that money to achieve real policy change in Ohio.

In our second year, we aim to keep an anti-violence theme while building to help awareness in other areas. We have added workshops and more art and have reached out to be more inclusive in our musical selection. Our charity for this year, Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization [BRAVO], works to eliminate violence perpetrated on the basis of sexual orientation and/or gender identification, domestic violence, and sexual assault through prevention, education, advocacy, violence documentation, and survivor services, both within and on behalf of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities.

Most of the evening events (Friday night at Ace of Cups, Friday night at Spacebar, Saturday night at Spacebar, and Sunday at Cafe Bourbon Street & The Summit) will have a $7 cover charge at the door; the Saturday night show at MINT will have a ten dollar cover charge at the door. All other events are free but voluntary donations are encouraged.

There will be free workshops at Kafe Keroauc on Saturday and Sunday, 1-3:30pm, that will require advance registration to guarantee seating for everyone. Those interested in the workshops may register at the http://femmefest.org/ website.