This year’s 4th annual Babefest, taking place at the Orpheum Theatre on November 24, is entitled “For the Love of NOLA” and geared up to be a riotous celebration of art, music and female strength. On the heels of her new memoir, No Walls and the Recurring Dream, Ani DiFranco will be performing, speaking and signing books. The event is a fundraiser benefiting The Roots of Music, an afterschool program that provides free music lessons, food and transportation to local elementary and middle school age children all over the city. 

A consistent advocate for our community, Ani DiFranco has performed benefit concerts for our charter schools in 2014 and 2016. She has taught workshops and done pop-up shows. Many of her recordings feature local musicians, such as Terence Higgins, Ivan Neville, Cyril Neville and horn players from Galactic, Bonerama and the Rebirth Brass Band and her video for “Binary (Mardi Gras Edition)”, the single off of her 20th studio album, celebrates her joy of this city, while being a call to action and compassion. 

Joining Ani DiFranco on the Babefest stage will be The Roots of Music, Princess Shaw, speakers Valerie Kaur, Kristin Shannon, Tanya Zabinski, and filmmaker/educator Lily Keber, hosting an “Identity & Dance” roundtable panel featuring: Boyfriend, Regine Chassagne (Arcade Fire), DJ Nice Rack, Dianne Honore and Tif Lamson (Givers).

This event is part of the The Roots of Music’s 7th annual Fall Fundraiser. It begins at 4:30 p.m at the Orpheum Theater, located at 129 Roosevelt Way. Tickets range from $35 (GA) to $55 (VIP) and are available on Ticketmaster. (This event is free for students.)