HopeFest goes free, drops two headliners

Organizers for Carolina HopeFest announced today that the show this Sunday at Booth Amphitheatre will be free. On the down side, Mat Kearney and Marc Cohn are no longer on the bill. Glen Phillips, who had been third runner up, will now headline.

The goal of HopeFest has been to raise money for Beacon of Hope, a group in Kenya that gives assistance to women with AIDS.

"We felt that we wanted to draw as big a crowd as possible in order to maximize awareness of the challenge in Africa," Jana Piepenbring, director of Carolina Hope, said in a statement. "It became obvious that the best way to do that would be to take some bold steps. Fortunately, because of the generosity of our presenting sponsor Lenovo, we are able to make this year's festival a free event and still make a meaningful contribution to the charity."

No word if the times on the schedule will change, but I'll let you guys know if I hear anything.

Mat Kearney to headline Carolina HopeFest

Carolina HopeFest, a concert raising money to fight AIDS in Africa, has announced its lineup.

Mat Kearney, Marc Cohn and Glen Phillips (of Toad the Wet Sprocket) are the big names at this year's show. Other artists include local favorite Thad Cockrell, Dereck Webb, Sandra McCracken and Mavuno (from Nairobi, Kenya).

HopeFest will be Sunday, Sept. 20 at Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary. Tickets are $35 for reserved seats, $20 for lawn and $10 for students, and will go on sale Aug. 25 through Ticketmaster and the venue box office.