TOLEDO, Ohio — The largest free outdoor music festival in the area is marking 17 years of taking over the streets of Uptown Maumee for a good cause.
The 17th Annual Acoustics for Autism kicks off March 3 at noon with 14 hours of music from 95 different bands.
The annual event benefits Project iAm, which provides support, information, resources and financial assistance to families affected by autism.
Over 15,000 people stopped by last year's event and over $200,000 was raised in 2023 alone, according to the organizers.
New this year, an additional shuttle route has been added for the festival. The new route is from Draftcade in Levis Commons. Two more routes are available from Jed's Maumee, and Cock N Bull in downtown Toledo.
Shuttle tickets are $5 one way or $8 round trip when purchased in advance, or $6 cash each way on the day of the event. The shuttle schedule Acoustics for Autism shuttle tickets are available at this link in advance. Shuttle ticket sales end March 2 at 11:30 p.m.
While the festival itself is free, there are still many ways to show support for Project iAm at the event or online. One of those ways is through a silent auction, which features themed items and experiences donated by local organizations and individuals. The Acoustics for Autism silent auction begins Feb. 26 online.
Acoustics for Autism, which is always held on the first Sunday in March, started in 2008 with its premier event at the Village Idiot and has now grown to eight stages and almost 100 performers. To date, over $800,000 has been distributed to families living with autism spectrum disorders through Project iAm, which was established to go hand-in-hand with Acoustics for Autism.
Project iAm is a charity that aims to help families speed up the time of an autism diagnosis to effective treatments, as the needs of each child can vary.
Project iAm is unaffiliated with any one particular group and encourages families to find the right fit for their child through financial support for care providers to make a positive, lasting impact on individuals with autism.
For more information on Project iAm and how to apply for scholarships, visit this link.
Acoustics for Autism and the city of Maumee are also presenting a movie screening of "Sing" at the Maumee Indoor Theater on March 3. Before the movie, there will be sensory-friendly activities from noon to 2 p.m. Admission is first come, first served and limited to available seats.
The Acoustics for Autism music festival begins March 3 at noon in the 300 block of Conant Street in Maumee and the surrounding areas. Admission is free. Check out the full lineup at acousticsforautism.com.