Chance the Rapper
By Kennedi Johnson
It’s music festival season! Coachella, South by Southwest, Bonnaroo, and Karoondinha. What’s that? You haven’t heard of the inaugural Karoondinha festival, yet? No worries—you have now! The festival will make its debut on July 21-23 at Penn’s Cave & Wildlife Park in Centre Hall, Pennsylvania, and benefits several worthwhile non-profits.
The lineup is nothing short of spectacular, with more than 80 performing artists including Chance the Rapper, John Legend, Paramore, Leon Bridges, Young the Giant, Chromeo, Alessia Cara, the Roots, and more. There will also be a kick-off party with more live music and food on July 20. But before we delve into the music any further, let’s talk about the name.
Karoondinha, meaning “the land of shining waters,” was named by the peoples of the Seneca tribe. The land is quite the sight with more than 1,600 acres of breathtaking fields and all that comes with it: sunflowers, water caves, mountain lions, wolves, bison, bears, longhorn cattle, bighorn sheep. In fact, Karoondinha allows for festival goers to not only connect with the music, but also with its beautiful surroundings.
“Unlike many other festivals that take place near urban areas, Karoondinha is truly an immersive experience out in nature,” said the sibling Karoondinha founders Kaleena and Paul Rallis. “We designed Karoondinha to connect people: to the landscape, to each other, and to music.”
The festival is partnering with some terrific non-profits that support nature and wildlife conservation, the fight against hunger and serious illnesses, and music education. The Bestwick Foundation focuses on aiding locals who are struggling with cancer or other grave illnesses. The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is dedicated to fighting America’s problem of hunger by helping those in need. It secures at least 40 million meals for Central Pennsylvania’s hungry citizens each year. The Wildlife for Everyone Foundation focuses on preserving Pennsylvanian habitats and wildlife, working to conserve its birds and mammals, provide wildlife education and outreach, conduct research, and restore damaged habitats.
To learn more about the new festival and purchase passes, click here.