A music event created with and for our community!
As Philadelphia musicians, the Sweet Juice team has worked alongside each other for many years. But it wasn’t until March of 2022 that the idea to merge worlds and create an intentional collective was born. Our flagship event, Sweet Juice Fest, took place just a few months later, selling out at over 175 tickets and featuring 6 local, diverse musical acts. In the spirit of DIY, our small yet mighty team pooled resources to bootstrap the festival that included an interactive craft station, a secluded rest zone, a local, diverse artisan marketplace, two food vendors, and a clothing swap/donation drop off. Through the clothing swap we were able to redirect 15 bags of gently used clothing away from landfills and to Bargain Thrift in Germantown, PA. The event attracted media attention including a feature story with Paige Walter of Cherry-Veen Zine, a podcast interview with Left of the Dial, and support from local radio DJ John Vettese of WXPN. As of writing, we are in the midst of planning the fourth annual Sweet Juice Fest. The Fest has grown in ways we couldn’t have anticipated, as it truly has become a community event run for and by the artists we collaborate with. We are incredibly grateful to our partners at Awbury Arboretum who have asked us to return to their grounds for a second time. Stay tuned for our Sweet Juice Fest 2025 Save the Date by signing up for our email list! We promise not to spam you. <3
Welcome to Sweet Juice!
Sweet Juice is a queer-artist-led collective whose mission is to inspire community action and engagement through immersive musical experiences, artistic expression, and joyful connection. With each event, we aim to inspire casual music-goers to get more deeply involved in their neighborhoods and strengthen the network of artists, individuals, and organizations working to vitalize their communities here in Philadelphia. In bringing greater visibility to underrepresented, local musicians and providing opportunities for connection and collaboration, we hope to fortify the meaning and magic that music can provide.
As a collective, we value people and place over efficiency and profit. We engage in practices that promote direct communication, inclusivity and belonging, with an emphasis on centering the voices of queer and gender expansive artists and community members.
All four founding members of the Sweet Juice collective have had extensive experience booking and playing with touring acts as well as event planning within and outside of the music industry. We have seen the ways that BIPOC, queer, and gender-expansive artists, in particular, are mistreated and underestimated throughout every facet of the industry. Through these and other events, our hope is to strengthen Philadelphia's connective tissue and raise awareness of the organizations that work to address inequities in their Philadelphia communities. We want to bring back the culture of activism and resistance that was tied to artistic expression throughout the 60s and 70s. We hope to catalyze the power of music and art by enhancing the circumstances under which performers, activists, and audiences can share, connect, and play.
