SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – August 10 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The Institute for the Musical Arts (IMA) is pleased to announce the upcoming annual benefit music festival, Divafest 9, which will take place on September 17th-18th at The Inn at the Willows in Guerneville, California. The institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting women and girls in music and music related business.

Photo Caption: Divafest 9 will take place Sept. 17 and 18 at the Inn at the Willows.

In 2001 IMA purchased a permanent site in Goshen, Massachusetts where it established IMAeast, which serves as a teaching, performing, recording and networking facility for countless female musicians. IMA also maintains an office and recording studio in Sonoma County, CA its home base for ten years. The music festival will benefit IMA’s on-going programs which include skill development and music business workshops as well as its Rock N’ Roll Camp for teenage girls which has been offered since the summer of 2002 at IMAeast.

The festival, which is open to the public, features a musically diverse group of nationally known artists including: Evelyn Harris (formerly of Sweet Honey in the Rock), folk legend Cris Williamson, latin sensation Nacha Mendez, jazz vocalist Jenna Mammina, radical polka band Polkanomics and pioneer rockers June and Jean Millington who will be reuniting with their first all-girl band The Svelts for a set of classic 60’s music.

Expect a weekend of great music, food, and crafts all riverside at The Inn at the Willows which also offers spa services.

For further information about the festival or IMA and its programs, contact Executive Director Ann Hackler at (707) 738-1373 or visit http://www.ima.org.

News issued by: Institute for the Musical Arts (IMA)

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Original Story ID: (652) :: 2005-08-0810-005

Original Keywords: Divafest 9, Institute for the Musical Arts, IMA, music, San Francisco, The Inn at the Willows, Guerneville, CA, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Rock N’ Roll Camp for teenage girls, Evelyn Harris, Nacha Mendez, Jenna Mammina, Polkanomics, non-profit organization Institute for the Musical Arts (IMA)

News Source: Institute for The Musical Arts (IMA)