Episode #186
Femme Fest Preview
The first annual Femme Fest is nigh. An event created to celebrate women, small businesses and the music and arts scene in Moore County, Femme Fest began with a simple question: “Are you Earleine?” Event coordinator Shannon Butler asked musician Ash Wright that question ahead of the 2025 Friend to Friend Rock N’ Run 5k. Inspired in part by the energy during that event, the local support at places like the Neon Rooster and by “Book More Women” — a grassroots initiative challenging the status quo in the music festival industry and beyond through visual and data-driven advocacy, the two recruited a team, including entrepreneur and musician Mary Stone and artist Skylar Simmons, to create Femme Fest. The family-friendly event will be held at Red’s Corner on Sept. 28, featuring music from Julia Golden, Laura Jane Vincent, Amelia Riggs, Chelsea Davis, Earleine, Momma Molasses, Eclectic Soul, Dissimilar South and more. Ash Wright, Shannon Butler, Mary Stone and Frank Daniels discuss Femme Fest, what people can expect, some more of the inspiration and origin story on the final Sopines Scene Radio Sessions podcast with Pilot Radio, as Mary moves on to produce the show with Matthew Batisse from Katatonik.
