Music Festival recipient of Tipp City Foundation grant

The annual Tippapalooza Music Festival coming downtown Aug. 31 will not only highlight area talent but, in a less obvious way, the support of this and other events by the Tipp City Foundation.

Grants provided by the foundation are being used for a new stanchion fencing system to help secure this and other event venues, and stacking tables and chairs for use by attendees. These items will then be available for borrowing by area nonprofits for other public events.

The Tippapalooza Music Festival was the recipient of a $1,982 grant for the safety stanchions used to keep a gathering safe. Another grant of $6,227 to the Downtown Tipp City Partnership (DTCP) purchased the tables and chairs.

“The lightweight, durable tables and chairs will be an invaluable resource for DTCP, especially during our events. By owning these items, we eliminate the need to rent, which helps reduce event costs and allows us to allocate those funds elsewhere,” said Tasha Weaver, executive director of the DTCP.

These items will be used throughout the year, including the DTCP’s upcoming Tunes Tour Beer Crawl, HarvestFest, and the Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting.

Tippapalooza, in its 13th year, is grateful for the foundation support, said Bill Wendel, a Tippapalooza founder and spokesperson.

“The stanchion system will give us a more professional, safer and flexible border for our festival. And in the spirit of supporting the local community, we are making the system available for use to any local non-profit for use at their events,” he said.

The foundation has supported the festival in the past as a financial sponsor.

Tippapalooza will be held on South Second Street between Main Street and Dow Street. The doors open at 5 p.m. and music starts at 6. The featured acts this year are Colin Richards and Spare Change, The Tyler Cochran Trio, Freya’s Felines and The New Old-Fashioned.

Proceeds will benefit Dream Pet Rescue and its mission to rehome cats and dogs. There will be food trucks and adult beverages served by Chaffee’s Brewhouse. This is a family friendly, all-ages event, Wendel said. Presale tickets can be purchased for $10 at www.tippapalooza.com; tickets are $15 the day of the show. Those attending are invited to bring lawn chairs and their dancing shoes.

Tippapalooza was created by a group of local friends and music fans with the desire to promote local talent and to benefit local charities. This is the festival’s 13th year highlighting talented musicians from the Miami Valley and supporting local charities.

The popularity of Tippapalooza continued to grow over the years until it was established enough to focus on and hire professional musicians. Since 2017 it has only featured professional artists from the Miami Valley who write and record their own music, Wendel said. The event was moved to the downtown in 2023.