FENWICK ISLAND – Fenwick Island officials granted approval last week for the first event of its kind — a concert on the beach to benefit the Fenwick Island Beach Patrol.
The Fenwick Island Town Council met last Friday to discuss and approve the 1st Annual Beach Bash and Raffle to be held on Monday, Aug. 11, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Live music will be provided by Kirsten Sowers and Rebelmann, a band of three teen brothers. All proceeds will go directly to the Fenwick Island Beach Patrol (FIBP).
Sowers’ father took it upon himself to organize the event collaborating with town officials.
“Mr. Sowers followed up with us this month wanting to press on with this free concert with no charge to anybody, and basically minimal services from the town,” Beach Patrol Captain Tim Ferry said on Friday. “They want to try to reach that family type of atmosphere that they see at the Fenwick Flicks, as well as the bonfires [on the beach].”
In 2011, at the age of 11, Sowers established her own foundation, Kirsten Kares Foundation (KKF). Through performing, KKF supports children, the military, animals, those caught in natural disasters and nationally recognized charities supporting similar areas. Monies raised during performances and fundraising activities throughout the past have helped the foundation assist a long list charities and nonprofit organizations.
According to Ferry, Sowers has performed with national recording artists, such as Keith Urban, Charlie Daniels and Taylor Swift, but playing on the beach in Fenwick Island has been on her mind for some time as her family owns a residence in town.
“We would like it to be attended somewhat along the lines of Fenwick Flicks. I think that should be very manageable from the Beach Patrol and Police Department,” he said. “I think it is an interesting concept and help offset some of the costs for the lifeguards.”
Ferry furthered, as this is a first time event it will be held this summer on a trial basis.
“This could start something where other people want to request playing on the beach too, but at this stage I think we give it a chance to see what it looks like and how it pans out, if and what problems we run into and we can look at it on a year-to-year basis,” he said.
The council voted unanimously to approve the concert on the beach.
Sowers is a country/pop singer, songwriter and musician. Born in 1999, she began performing at the age of 7. In 2010, Sowers made her television debut on the NBC 10 show in Philadelphia. Since then, she has continued to appear on numerous TV channels and has performed nationwide including Philadelphia, Nashville and Los Angeles.
As an active member of Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), in July of 2011, Sowers was one of the youngest participants in the NSAI Song Camp in Nashville, Tenn. That month she also performed at the TD Performing Arts Center in Sewell, N.J. as part of a Ticketmaster event for the Freedom Gives Back Tour.
Sowers has opened for Bruce in the USA, the World’s #1 Bruce Springsteen Tribute Band, to help raise funds for wounded soldiers, as well as was also honored to appear in Martin Guitar Company’s The Sounding Board, Volume 31.
Later in 2012, Sowers entered the Texaco Country Showdown, a national songwriting competition. She performed at the semifinal with her original song, “Tell Me”. She was also named the Featured Performer of the Week with over 13,000 hits to her profile page in one week.
Sowers released her first professional recording studio single on iTunes in May of 2013 at the age of 13. She is currently recording additional songs at MilkBoy the Studio.