2nd Annual Paxfest Concert, Featuring Satellite, Coming to Hart Park

Music can be therapy. Maybe it can even be a cure.

On Aug. 24, the second annual Paxfest comes to Hart Park's Rotary Performance Pavilion with a mission to fight pediatric cancer in memory of Paxton Andrews, who succumbed to cancer at just 3 months old.

The Paxton Andrews Foundation, a Milwaukee-based all-volunteer organization, is devoted to “Fighting pediatric cancer with music.” In its inaugural year, the one-day music festival hosted by foundation raised more than $15,000.

The foundation reminds people:

• Seven children will die from cancer today.
• Just 4 percent of all federal funding for cancer research is allocated to pediatric cancer research.
• In the last 20 years, just one drug has been approved for treating pediatric cancer.

Festival Highlights:

• Live music from national headliner Satellite, plus local favorites Rectifier, Ivy Spokes, 5 Card Studs and SlimRox
• Kid Zone featuring giant slide, bouncy house, carnival games, sno cones, face painting and more
• Cold drinks from Lakefront Brewery
• Good eats from Maxie’s Southern Comfort and Blue’s Egg
• Silent auction
• Proceeds to benefit The Paxton Andrews Foundation and The Pablove Foundation

In its first year of existence, the work of the Paxton Andrews Foundation has already helped kids and their families during the most frightening time of their lives. It has paid rent when a family could not because of medical bills and lost wages. It has provided Christmas gifts for children whose families could not afford them because of the cost of treatments. It has provided everyday needs that hospital cancer units were missing.

The music in the equation

The festival headliner, Satellite, hailing from Nashville, is an alt-rock quartet that blends boldly vulnerable lyrics with anthemic but finely textured pop. The Huffington Post described Satellite’s latest album, Calling Birds, as “an indie-inspired slice of Americana,” while MTV likened the band’s sound to that of Wisconsin’s own Bon Iver. 

“Satellite is an emerging star in the alternative rock scene,” said Kate Barrie, executive director of the Paxton Andrews Foundation. “We sought out up-and-coming national acts to bring to PaxFest 2013 for a rockin’ music festival to fight pediatric cancer. We couldn’t be more excited to bring Satellite back to Milwaukee.”

Tickets for PaxFest are on sale now at paxlovemusic.org through Aug. 23. Tickets are $10; children 10 and under attend free. Tickets will also be available at the festival grounds on festival day.

The foundation is still accepting sponsor, vendor and volunteer applications for PaxFest on the website.

The Paxton Andrews Foundation, Inc. is a Milwaukee-based all volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to fighting pediatric cancer in honor of Paxton Bowe Andrews. On May 8, 2012 Paxton Andrews was taken to his pediatrician for what appeared to be a common cold and possible eye infection. Hours later, doctors confirmed that 3-month-old Paxton had a rare form of cancer. After a valiant fight, Paxton ended his battle with cancer on July 2, 2012.

PaxFest was created to honor the memory of Paxton Andrews by fighting pediatric cancer with music. In its inaugural year, the one-day music festival raised more than $15,000 for The Pablove Foundation. 

The Pablove Foundation (www.pablove.org) was founded in May 2008 by Milwaukee native Jeff Castelaz and his wife Jo Ann Thrailkill after their 4-year-old son Pablo Castelaz was diagnosed with bilateral Wilms Tumor, a rare form of childhood cancer. After a valiant fight against the disease, Pablo passed away six days past his sixth birthday on June 27, 2009.

The Pablove Foundation’s scientific advisory committee is comprised of some of the brightest minds in the pediatric cancer field, including doctors and researchers from Harvard, Duke, the University of Michigan, the University of Southern California, City of Hope and others.