Towles Steps Up To Organize And Promote Sixth Annual DenaFest

By Hayley Gable

To those who came out for this year’s 6th Annual DenaFest, it was blatantly obvious the amount of work that went into planning and producing the event. Hundreds of folks from Anne Arundel County and beyond came out to show their support for both local music and the local community.

Organizing and promoting the event was nearly a year-long process, and this year, it was headed up by Pasadena native Justin Towles.

Two years ago, Joey Harkum, the front man of the local band Pasadena, approached Towles and fellow Riviera Beach Volunteer Fire Company member Dave Johnson about hosting DenaFest as a fundraiser at the fire department. Summers Tavern in Orchard Beach had hosted the event the previous year, and had to turn people away because of space limitations. “The [Riviera Beach] Fire Department offered the perfect opportunity to take this concert to the next level,” said Towles.

“As soon as Joey told us what it was all about, I was in. I grew up in a music family, and this was a great chance to help the local music scene and the fire department in one shot. That made it pretty much a no-brainer for me.”

Towles, who states that he was involved some way or another in nearly every aspect of planning, stepped up mainly to oversee the logistics of the event. Flyers were made, signs were posted, a Facebook page was created, and even an interview on 98Rock was conducted, all of which were a part of Towles’s efforts.

However, Towles assures all of the time and work he puts into the event definitely is worth it. “The day of DenaFest last year made all of the work worth it, and knowing that this year's event was going to be even bigger and better keeps me pushing through all of the hurdles. Last year and this year were just awesome,” he said.

“Up until the morning of the concert last year, we had no idea of how many people would show up. When well over 1,000 people showed up to show their support, it was a very humbling feeling. I distinctly remember Joey [Harkum] saying on the mic, something along the lines of, ‘to this point we couldn't even get a permit to hold this in a park… now we have the Governor opening up for us!’ That made it all worthwhile.”

Among the community organizations Towles is currently involved with are the Riviera Beach Volunteer Fire Company, of which he has served as past president and is a current board member, the Stoney Creek Democratic Club, Pasadena Business Association, Anne Arundel County Volunteer Fire Fighters Association, and the Annapolis Masonic Lodge #89.

"As a friend and fellow board member at the firehouse I have watched Justin work tirelessly to make DenaFest a success. Whether it was scheduling with the bands, gathering volunteers, getting donations, putting up signs around the community, or the plain old logistics of hosting such a large event it has become clear to me that Justin has done an extraordinary job this year and is deserving of this honor,” shared Dave Rosage.

“Getting involved in DenaFest now is getting in on the ground level of something that I am confident will become a defining event of our community over the next several years. Plus, it’s for a great cause and honestly, it’s just a whole lot of fun,” Towles summarized.

Congratulations, Justin!