By Rashad Bigham

A creative team has embarked on taking a three-day event with potential for thousands of guests and bringing it to Fort Boonesborough State Park in Richmond, Ky., calling it the Jubilo Music & Arts Festival.

Fist pumping, crowd surfing and dancing until the sun comes up seem to be appropriate actions for this event.

Robyn Burkett Baker, founder of Jubilo and former organizer for Master Musicians Festival in Somerset, Ky., is now looking forward to starting her own festival. Baker’s team is made up of 10 college graduate volunteers who have an interest in Appalachia.

“The idea of this festival was started from the question of how we can help students from Appalachia get to college who don’t have the money,” Daniel Shields, the lead graduate organizer, said. “This festival was a great idea and is lot of fun planning, but it is time consuming.”

Jubilo’s mission is to do meaningful work in the Appalachia, and all organizers plan to do just that.

The Jubilo team has a goal of $25,144 to raise as a kick-start for the festival.

All of the proceeds from the Sept. 13-16 festival are being used to provide scholarships for tuition and housing for college prospects from Appalachia.

“Hearing about what they plan to do with proceeds makes me even more ready to support them because I know how tough it is to go to college from a small town,” Demichael Kay, a political science graduate, said.

The festival will consist of live music, camping and large art displays created during time at Jubilo.

Shields said the festival is targeting a diverse crowd, drawing inspiration from all forms of music: rock, pop, hip-hop, contemporary and more.

Those interested can get involved with Jubilo by going to kickstarter.com and making a pledge.

The website details information on pledging and prizes, consisting of backstage passes, T-shirts and more.

“Our team is committed to making it happen, so we’re striving,” Shields said.