Mark Hall’s goal is to pack the pantries to feed hungry neighbors.
But Hall figures, why not collect those items and donations with a music festival? Long-time Noblesville residents Hall and his wife, Lisa, started FeedingTeam.org in 2019.
The musical festival is set from 1 to 10 p.m. Sept. 26 at Federal Hill Commons in Noblesville. Admission is free but Hall encourages attendees to bring a nonperishable food item. The event will support standalone pantries, where people can help themselves to canned goods and other items 24 hours a day. There are 24 pantries in Hamilton County, including 14 in Noblesville and one each in Fishers and Carmel.
The festival will have five bands, food trucks, beer vendor tents and merchandise.
The Bishops will open at 1:15 p.m., following comments by Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen.
Following The Bishops will be performances by My Yellow Rickshaw, Mike Barthel Band and Colton Chapman and Jai Baker 3, a trio.
Baker, who will play in Atlanta earlier in the day, will start at approximately 8:30 p.m.
There will be a silent auction in the park’s Green Room, which will serve as a waiting room for the bands.
“We had a donor give us his NBA signed jersey collection, including a Kobe Bryant signed jersey,” Hall said.
Hall said he is seeking two more sponsors. The event sponsors are Gaylor Electric, First Financial Bank and Hall’s company, TLX Talent Logistix.
The corporate sponsor covers the cost of the bands, event insurance and venue.
Hall said the festival was held outside at Noblesville’s Fraternal Order of Police’s Lodge 103 in October 2020. There were tents, a fire pit and three bands. Hall said 300 people attended and a little more than $3,000 was raised for the pantries, along with more than donated 3,000 items. Hall said he wants to double both totals this year.
“We’ve tried to step up our game, big time, going to a nice big venue that can handle thousands,” Hall said.
Hall said vendors chip in a small amount to be on-site.
“The money comes from the sale of merchandise and the silent auction,” Hall said.
Fourteen more food pantries are set to launch by the end of the year, Hall said.
“We have a couple of Eagle Scout candidates that are building them,” he said. “We went through 4,500 meals in June. We can’t track what other people put in them. That’s just what we put in them.”
For more, visit feedingteam.org.
