EmiliaFest

03/20/2026

Greetings music lovers and pediatric cancer fighters! We have decided to push EmiliaFest until the fall. We haven't picked a date yet, but we are thinking mid-October. We'll let you know when we have a date set!
Love, The EmiliaFest Team

05/28/2025

Two EmiliaFest favorites - Dirt Pump and Goddamn Wolves are playing this Saturday at the Pour House for an ACLU fundraiser. Hope to see you there!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1183227533845661&set=a.584295533738867&type=3

03/15/2025

Hello friends and supporters!

We have decided not to host EmiliaFest this year due to personal obligations that are keeping us very busy this spring. EmiliaFest is extremely important to us both for raising money and awareness for pediatric cancer, and also to honor the memory of this beautiful little girl who should be 21 now. It is also a huge undertaking of time, energy and commitment from our family and friends who help us pull this thing together. It's a true labor of love and we know when to say when... we will definitely be back next year, which sadly will be the 10th anniversary of Emilia's death.

I want to thank last year's sponsors again. For those of you who fulfilled your financial commitment, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts...

Mann, McGibney and Jordan PLLC
Strawbridge Studios
Apex Outfitter and Board Co.
Clear Comfort Plumbing, Heating and Air
Davis Orebaugh- Cross Country Mortgage
Mission Market
Monroe Boutique
and our Comminity Partner: Apex Pilates

We know that the advertising you get from this page and the back of the t-shirts is not the reason you do this- it's because you care- about us, about pediatric cancer, and about this little girl from Pennsylvania that you never even knew. You are genuinely awesome human beings. You get a year off from me begging you for money, but don't worry- I'll be back to ask for more next year!

Thanks to all of you who come to our party and to those who support from afar. We can't wait to see you next spring! Rock on!

11/02/2024

Come out to see Felix and Bones tomorrow night at the new Berkeley Cafe. A bunch of us will be there!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EXrfu5Mh5/?mibextid=WC7FNe

This is tomorrow night! Excited to be sharing the ‘stage’ with my son! Come be part of our family fun!

08/19/2024

This beautiful ray of light should be turning 21 today. Please say a toast, a prayer for her family, and wear your EmiliaFest shirt today to honor her.

05/29/2024

EmiliaFest Friends... we still have a handful of shirts left- M, L, XL and one ladies XL (fits like a large). Your $30 turns into $60 with donor match. We haven't finished raising money yet! Who wants one??

05/13/2024

How do we find the words to thank this amazing community for such incredible support?

Let's start here... To the 6 musical acts starting with Reese Mayfield, to Felix and Bones, then Dirt Pump, Goddamn Wolves, Loose Tooth and finally Steelwater... THANK YOU! You gave your time and your amazing talent- many of you for years on end. It is such a delight and honor to have you play our little backyard gig for a good cause. Extra thanks as always to the man, the legend... Gerritt Raterink for an incredibly long and busy day of hauling equipment and running sound. We literally could not do this without you.

To our sponsors Mann, McGibney and Jordan PLLC, Strawbridge Studios, Clear Comfort Plumbing Heating and Air, Davis Orebaugh/CrossCountry Mortgage, Mission Market, Monroe Boutique, Sold By Starkey Team - Powered by Compass, Apex Outfitter and Board Co. and Apex Pilates... you guys are the absolute best. With your help we had raised well over $10k before the party even started. To Carolina Brewing Company for the free beer (4th year now!), to Christiana Culligan for a deal on t-shirts (4 years), and to Tom Baron for leveling up our electric- THANK YOU!!

To everyone who came and volunteered, danced, donated for beer, t-shirts or pizza- thank you for your generosity and good vibes!

To all of our online donors from near and far (we were thrilled to see so many supporting our efforts from far away!) you helped us raise at least $23,000 for Cannonball Kids Cancer foundation!!! We don't have the final figures yet- we are still hoping for some late donations and t-shirt sales to kick us over the $25k mark- not too shabby for a fun backyard party!

And a few special thank yous... to Rebecca Bonito who has enthusiastically served as my co-organizer for the last 3 EmiliaFests... how do we manage to pull this off while having so much fun? And to my husband Bryan Friedel, the ambiance creator extraordinaire and lifter of all the heavy things... we see you and thank you. To Emilia's parents Natalie and Mitchell Dameshek who have travelled and subjected themselves to an emotionally grueling weekend for the last several years- it means so much to us.

And lastly, we must thank Emilia for shining her beautiful light down upon us once again this year- surely the absolutely perfect weather we always manage to get on this special day can't just be luck.... brighter than the sun always and forever.

If you still want shirts send me a message- we have about 20 left. If you couldn't make it to the party but still want to donate, it's not too late! Link here: https://givebutter.com/emiliafest2024

If you have pictures from the party send them our way!

Saturday, May 11, 2024

05/13/2024

Everyone looks great in EmiliaFest shirts!
Missed being here this year? You can still buy a shirt! $30 local pickup.
8 XL
10 L
6 M
1 S
2 XS
2 Women’s XL (fits like. M/L)

05/10/2024

Please take 5 min to watch this beautiful video produced by Four Diamonds, the incredible group that provided support to The Dameshek Family during Emilia’s 3 years of battling cancer.
It’s important to us for people to know a glimpse of this amazing little girl who we celebrate every year. https://youtu.be/jpCLw2qZSLc?si=u7rJ8rUYnHembZGB

Emilia didn’t die from cancer. She died from the awful side effects of the drugs used to treat her cancer. Let me shout that for those in the back… EMILIA DIDN’T DIE FROM CANCER. EMILIA DIED FROM THE TREATMENT OF HER CANCER. Once you know the awful truth about the options these families have for their precious children you will want to take action, just like we did.

Come join us tomorrow and celebrate Emilia’s life and spirit that continues to move mountains. We are raising money for Cannonball Kids’ cancer Foundation who gets money directly into the hands of researchers to find new drugs and new treatments so kids like Emilia have better options.

Can’t join us in person? Donate here:

https://givebutter.com/emiliafest2024

FourDiamonds.org

05/09/2024

Thank you Emilia for always shining your beautiful light down on us!!!! It’s going to be perfect weather for your party AGAIN! See y’all Saturday!!!

05/08/2024

I went to Auntie’s for our weekly pizza and wine night and found we were twinning! 93 year old Aunt Charlotte representing!
Join us! https://givebutter.com/emiliafest2024
Proud supporter since 2016!

05/06/2024

Another huge shoutout to our amazing sponsors! Also thanks to Carolina Brewing Company for once again providing us with free beer, for a price break on our T-shirts, Baron Electrical and Light for running power to the stage so we don’t blow the sound this year (no charge) and our great community partner for their ongoing support and donation of $500!
This is a true community effort and we have raised $12,500 before the party even begins!!!