SarahFest Should Be the DIY Event of the Summer

Local music fans have a mixed bag of emotions over the loss of such longtime events as Five Points Jazz Fest and Underground Music Showcase, which had its finale the last week of July. But this scene is resilient, and Denver creatives and independent venues are propping it up with DIY concerts and festivals.

They include the second iteration of SarahFest, which had its inaugural edition last year at the Mercury Cafe. The femme-forward event will be at Manos Sagrados on Saturday, September 13, with a stellar lineup of local acts, a clothing swap, yoga class and more. "It's a smaller space and more adaptive to DIY situations," says Becky Otárola of Manos Sagrados. "It feels more suited to SarahFest as a space. ... Having it at Manos is maybe the most exciting thing."

Otárola fronts the local band Bellhoss, which will again perform at this year's event; the festival is named for the group's vocalist, after all. The day will kick off with a yoga class led by venue owner Bruce Trujillo, who was happy to collaborate with Otárola on SarahFest alongside Bellhoss manager Amy Howard, who runs Baby Riot Management. "That there's a team working on SarahFest, and not just doing it all on my own, is really incredible," Otárola says, adding that the festival got a grant from the Denver Theater District to help pay the artists well.

"It's more of a BIPOC focus this year; that's something that Bruce really brings in with the way that she books," she continues. "We booked it together, which made it a lot more collaborative. ... It's a team of us making sure it's more inclusive, in terms of more diversity, more connections. I have a lot of connections, but Bruce and Amy have millions. So just to be able to get that ally-ship is so amazing."
The music will include DJ sets from Celxstial (3-5 p.m.) and Miss Flowers (5-7 p.m.), before the bands take the stage. Fair Elle, Bellhoss, Soy Celeste, Machete Mouth and Sunstoney are all on the bill. But music isn't the only attraction. "We'll have a food truck outside...we'll have a size-inclusive clothing swap. We'll have at least one tattoo artist," Otarola says.

There will also be a workshop hosted by Rare Birds on "music production geared towards femmes," Otárola adds. "We'll also have vendors downstairs. Morning will be the yoga and the workshop, the afternoon will be the vendors and the clothing swap and tattoos, and then in the evening we'll start the music."

Otárola and Trujillo have known each other for several years. "I've been a fan of Bruce for a long time," Otárola says. "I asked her if Manos could host; it's a femme-owned space and more DIY. I emailed her at the beginning of the year to ask, and she said she'd love to be a part of it. We met up in the spring and talked about what we wanted it to look like."

The venue and event have a matching mission of uplifting the marginalized and providing a beacon for ambitious creatives.  It's about "that DIY spirit," Otárola says. "Just being very intentional about how we connect with and support other people, especially younger girls. ... It's all about giving more voice to people who don't usually get it."

And while the event is "femme-forward," Otárola notes that doesn't mean "the exclusion of any gender."

With so much collaboration and intentional effort behind it, on top of an incredible local lineup, SarahFest is destined for success. "Especially after UMS ending, I think it's a great time to introduce new things like this," Otárola says. "It's going to be a real blast."

SarahFest, Saturday, September 13, Manos Sagrados, 9975 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora; tickets are $20.