For the past four years, WHYR and its parent organization, the Baton Rouge Progressive Network, have put on Radiopalooza, a local music festival that’s doubled as our summer fundraiser. We started out in 2011, charging admission at Beauvoir Park behind Chelsea’s Cafe, and two years ago we moved the festivities to North Boulevard Town Square to make use of our city’s public spaces, creating a visible and accessible festival that was also free for attendees.
We love Radiopalooza, as we hope you do, but it takes a tremendous amount of volunteer time and resources to make happen. For the past number of years, planning for the festival consumed us and diverted our attention and efforts away from indispensable organizational development, strategic planning, and basic operations and programming. You know, the stuff that makes us who we are and worth supporting.
This year, we’ve chosen to take a hiatus from festival planning and focus on more long term sustainability efforts than the festival can provide at this time. We do plan to bring Radiopalooza back in the future, and in the meantime, please stay tuned for our RadioActive concert series featuring great local artists.
This summer, our station will turn four years old; it’s time for us to stop toddling and gain our footing. That’s where we’re focusing our efforts, and it’s also where you come in!
As a community radio station, we rely on community support. You can help put WHYR on a more sustainable path and allow us to do bigger and better things by becoming an official Sustaining Member at www.whyr.org/support.
In addition to becoming a sustaining member, you can contact us if you’re interested in getting involved with efforts in fundraising, programming, and promoting local progressive causes. Visit whyr.org/volunteer to learn more.
Become a sustaining member to help us survive; become a volunteer to help us thrive.
