Maricopa Music Festival debuts - InMaricopa.com

The inaugural Maricopa Music Festival attracted nearly 5,000 people and 15 bands to Copper Sky Regional Park Saturday, organizer Chrystal Allen O'Jon said.

But just wait until next year.

Whether it returns to the Maricopa park or another venue near the city, O'Jon said she wants to turn the festival into a three-day event.

'I'd like to divide it by genre,' O'Jon said. 'The first day, it could be country; the second day, hip-hop. And maybe the third could be mellower, like jazz.'

The festival has a low-key vibe, O'Jon said, with families and music lovers coming and going. She said her company, Urban Royalty Entertainment, spent more than $30,000 on the show.

'It was fine for the first year,' she said. 'Wherever it is next year, in this venue or close by, we think we'll be successful.'

Vendors sold merchandise, food and beverages, including beer. O'Jon said she heard of no rowdiness associated with the seven-hour event.

'It was nice and decent,' said Dawn Craft of DC Enterprises, who was selling perfume and handbags in a vendor's tent. 'We got good traffic.'

Craft said it cost $99 for a booth and 'definitely got my money's worth.'

Maricopa resident Joie Guela was the first performer around noon. The 15-year-old pop singer liked having the opportunity to perform locally.

'I thought it was really cool,' Guela said. 'So many bands from Arizona were performing here.'

After the Maricopa High student performed, she stayed for at least two hours, listening to others.

'I like the different kinds of music from rock to pop to reggae,' she said.

Guela held a large, cold beverage while she watched. Temperatures in the mid-90-degrees earlier in the afternoon kept the crowd sparse.

'I'm out of breath. I'm not sure how you deal with the hot weather,' said Eric Seats, the music director for the event and drummer for Eric Seats and the 3 Threes.

The weather was not the only thing that was hot. The free festival was an opportunity for political candidates to campaign, nonprofits to raise money and children to enjoy face painting.

The American Legion's local post combined its annual picnic with the event.

'The music being here brings more people to Maricopa,' former state commander Judi Beischel of Fountain Hills said. 'They're doing a good job here.'

For more photos of the Maricopa Music Festival visit http://ift.tt/1oMnMzr tomorrow and see the November edition of InMaricopa News in mailboxes next week.

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