Lady Fest was created to be a space where marginalized groups could have a stage to perform without societal pressures.
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Ten years later, the advocacy Lady Fest presents is more important than ever. Melody Davis, the founder of Lady Fest and half of the rap duo Cookies and Cake, is pleasantly surprised by this milestone.
“I honestly thought I was going to do it for a few years, and we were going to party and then everyone's going to get bored with it,” said Davis, “And we weren’t going to do it anymore. And then every year people would be like, what are you doing for next year? And I would be like, ‘Uh, I haven't really thought that far. We just got finished with this one.’ So, eventually I just kind of was like, well, let's just see what next year brings us. I'm pleased that it's lasted ten years.”
Lady Fest was established with diversity in mind, an event to highlight local musicians who don’t fit into the generally male-dominated music scene.
“I feel like it's very important to have shows that everyone can come, and everyone can have a good time,” said Davis, “And it's not just a bunch of dudes standing around having a good time because they can have a good time anywhere. But women, people of color, femmes, trans, LGBTQ, they do not always have a good time when they go places.
Alongside Lady Fest, Cookies and Cake are also celebrating their 10-year anniversary. Ashley Faulker, the other half of the duo, has been with the festival since the beginning helping with set up and scouting performers. This year, she has taken on a more involved role with the event.
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For Faulkner, the festival is a way to give thanks to communities that don’t often get the recognition they deserve.
“Black people invented punk rock, rock and roll,” said Faulkner, “I mean, everything, right? We owe so much to them, you know, to the queer community and everything that they've given. You can absolutely see those influences in Cookies and Cake. So, we need to give the props and the flowers where they're due. Hopefully, by us being such advocates and doing things like Lady Fest, that's kind of showing our thanks back to the community.”
Lady Fest is also a protest for some — especially when it comes to legislation that discriminates against LGBTQ groups and anti-abortion laws.
“There is active oppression happening in our state right now,” said Faulkner, “And not only are we going to fight back against that, but we are still going to exhibit joy and we are still going to celebrate our friendship and we are going to support each other because we're in it for the long haul.”
Like her musical partner, Davis wants Lady Fest to serve as an inspiration for those that wish to see change and to get involved in their communities.
This month, Davis and Faulkner are Artists in Residence at the 309 Punk House where they’ve hosted a harm reduction workshop. This Saturday, they’ll host a screening of a John Waters film at the punk house. Like Lady Fest, the events encourage activism.
“There is always going to be a community for you,” said Davis. “You just have to find it, if you want something to change, you’ve got to do it. At this point in America, we are facing some really tough battles and the only way to actually change anything is we have to fight back. And even if it's just you're writing protest songs and you're going to protest, you're marching, you're going to city council meetings, you're going to school board meetings, you have to do something or nothing is going to change. You have to let your voice be heard or nothing is changed.”
Lady Fest runs from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2 at three different venues in Pensacola; 309 Punk House, The Bugghouse, andThe Handlebar.
“Everyone's welcome,” said Davis, “It's not just a ladies-only kind of thing, which is always a question we get. Don't come (and) be a jerk. Just come and have fun. Let's start a revolution with music.”
