Seniel Hannagan brought her mobile hair salon to Alley Waban Park on Saturday, offering hair tinsel to LADYFEST attendees looking to add a little extra shimmer to their festival outfits.
“I think this is the perfect way to add some sparkle to people,” Ms. Hannagan said. “Every festival deserves some fun hair.”
LADYFEST embraced more than just fun hair, bringing together musicians, music-lovers and Island artisans for a day-long celebration and fundraiser for CONNECT to End Violence.
The annual festival was started nine years ago by Kelly Feirtag and Rose Guerin, and organized this year by Ms. Feirtag.
The celebration on Saturday opened with a land acknowledgment by Wampanoag tribe members Alexis Moreis and Jada Randolph, before opener Elda Berlin took the stage.
Ms. Berlin is a 13-year old from West Tisbury who has been singing, writing songs and playing guitar for several years now. During her time on stage, she performed songs by Phoebe Bridgers and Joni Mitchell, as well as a song from the Hunger Games.
“This was a very great opportunity,” she said as she closed her set. “I want to give a shout-out to Kelly and CONNECT to End Violence, and also to you all.”
Eight more musicians took the stage after Ms. Berlin, along with Island Hip Hop, a local dance group.
Led by professional dancer and founder Alise Eve, the group performed a series of hip hop routines set to mixes of popular songs. The crowd was noticeably energized after their performance.
That enthusiasm continued for hours.
“This is the most fun event of the whole year,” attendee Abby Bender said. “It’s just all love.”
LADYFEST has taken place on Circuit avenue in the past, but complaints from neighbors and the need for a larger space pushed organizers to move the event to Alley Waban Park last year.
“I’m happy to see that it has grown,” Ms. Bender said. “It deserved a bigger space.”
Throughout the day, as performances continued, vendors sold their artwork and handmade goods, including Kylie Hatt, owner of Tide Lines Art.
Ms. Hatt created a custom LADYFEST shirt for the occasion. She reached out to organizers beforehand to make sure the design was approved.
“This was a great opportunity to make a new design,” she said. “They gave me complete freedom and creative control.”
Ms. Hatt said she loves the community aspect of the festival, and the opportunity it provides for female artists to connect with one another.
“I love everything LADYFEST stands for, and the fact that it donates so much money, and creates a safe space for women creators to feel celebrated,” she said.
As night fell, Kate Taylor performed, beginning with an a cappella original song about her two brothers. The crowd fell silent as she sang.
She closed her set with a song performed alongside Delanie Pickering, then turned the stage over to Ms. Pickering, the final performer of the night.
In an interview on Monday, Ms. Feirtag reflected on how full-circle it felt to have Elda open the show and Delanie close it.
“You see someone like Elda who is just starting out, and then how rapidly Delanie has risen,” she said. “They’re both so young, both Island talents and they bookended the show. It blew me away.”
Overall, Ms. Feirtag was overjoyed with LADYFEST 2026.
“I’m super happy with how it went,” she said. “I’m still totally downloading everything and taking it all in.”
