D.C.-area musicians are coming together in Falls Church later this month to support assistance to unhoused people.
Four bands are set to perform at the third annual Reason 2 Rock Music Festival on Saturday, Sept. 20. The event will donate 100% of its proceeds to the Arlington-based nonprofit PathForward.
The outdoor street festival is happening from 2-8 p.m. near Solace Outpost Brewery at 444 W. Broad Street. DJ L Boogie will emcee the festival, which includes the following local bands:
- The Silent Critics, 2-3 p.m.
- Alison’s Power Play, 3:15-4:30 p.m.
- Ladywood, 5-6:15 p.m.
- Champagne Velvet, 6:30-8 p.m.
Solace Outpost will also host a beer truck to purchase refreshments separately. Tickets can be purchased online for $20 or for $25 at the door, and kids under 18 can attend for free.
Representatives from PathForward will provide remarks from 4:30-5 p.m.
Reason 2 Rock, which hosted its first festival in 2023, selects a new nonprofit to benefit each year.
“It really was just like, the love of playing together and music and bringing the community together,” co-founder Scott Schreiber, a member of Champagne Velvet, told ARLnow. “We wanted to do something with that, and you know, what better way [than] to just raise money for a good cause? I mean, we’re not in this for making money ourselves.”
Since its founding, Reason 2 Rock has raised $9,000 for the Arlington Free Clinic and about $16,000 for HopeLink, a behavioral health nonprofit in Oakton.
This year, Schreiber said the group is “shooting for $20,000” to benefit PathForward. He said that organizers selected PathForward as a beneficiary before the Trump administration began its crackdown on homelessness in D.C.
Organizers felt compelled to donate to PathForward during a time of increasing need, Greg Hamilton, a member of Ladywood and the nonprofit’s Board Chair, said.
“As a board member, I’ve observed the dedicated staff working 24/7, 365 days a year to serve our homeless neighbors in Arlington,” Hamilton said. “Their work is essential and the need is great … Given my proximity to the organization, it seemed like a very worthy beneficiary for this year’s festival.”
Arlington’s unhoused population has increased by 12% over the past year and has risen consistently since 2021, according to the county’s point-in-time count.
Photo via Reason 2 Rock Music Festival/Facebook.
