Acres of Music 2022: Summer of Love

Tickets are on sale now!

☆ About The ACRES Project ☆

Kids with autism become adults with autism. Approximately 50,000 Americans with autism enter adulthood each decade, and although these individuals have a lot to offer, very few options exist to provide them with the support they need to achieve their goals. Unlike other disabilities, most supportive services provided for youth with autism end at the age of 21 , when people are no longer eligible for the vital school-based supports which they and their families have often relied on since childhood. The few programs which do exist for adults are often unaffordable, have years-long waiting lists, or simply cannot provide the specific assistance an individual needs. With no support and nowhere to turn, young adults with autism are at great risk of isolation, loneliness, unemployment, and overall lack of purpose. The statistics are staggering:

• Although 61% of adults with autism want to hold a job, 85% are unemployed, even with a college degree. This is the lowest employment rate of any disability group.
• More than half of young adults on the autism spectrum report that they have not met with a friend over the past year.
• 78% of adults with autism wish to live independently, but 90% rely on a parent or guardian or lack independent living options.
• Although autism is a lifelong condition, only 1% of federal autism research funding focuses on adulthood.
  

The ACRES Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in State College, PA which believes that people never "age out" of the need for a supportive community, a meaningful, well-paying job, or a friendly face. With over half of our paid staff on the autism spectrum, we pride ourselves on creating unique social, vocational, and educational opportunities designed by and for Autistic and Neurodiverse people. Partnerships with local businesses, an on-site aquaponics greenhouse, social groups, and self-advocacy programming are just a few of the innovative ways we help foster independence, confidence, and lifelong skills for local youth and adults with autism.

Your support of the Summer of Love allows us to sustain these critical programs and create new opportunities to respond to the future needs of our community.

Thank you for helping us create a world where everyone can achieve their full potential!

☆ About The Concert ☆

A successor to our nearly sold-out "Music of Woodstock" benefit in 2019, the "Summer of Love" will once again feature the grooviest local bands playing the most iconic hits of the 1960s. So release your inner hippie, dress in your most far-out 1960s threads, and join us at the State Theatre on Saturday, June 18 from 7:30 - 10 PM for a night of peace, love, and music! Tickets are $30 and will soon be on sale from The State Theatre website or in person at the box office. Doors open at 7 PM.

☆ Become a Sponsor ☆

Support a great local cause while getting your brand in front of hundreds of local music lovers! We have several sponsorship tiers available for purchase through this website. Thanks to a generous donor, all donations and sponsorships will be MATCHED, doubling your impact at no cost to you!

If you would like to support the concert in another way (donation of goods and services, matching funds, etc.), please contact us at info@acresproject.org and we will discuss alternative arrangements with you. We greatly appreciate any support you are able to provide!

☆ Current Sponsors: ☆

☮ $1,000: Outta Sight! ☮

☮ $500: Far Out! ☮

☮ $250: Groovy! ☮

The Prosek Family

The Zlupko Family

Shad & Renee Hoover

Megan Leathers

Traci & Douglas Martin

Katie O'Toole

Lori Propst

Cathy Prosek

Carol Rosenberger

Colleen Williams

Bryan Wolcott

☆ Featured Bands ☆

☮ Anchor&Arrow ☮

"Central PA's Funked-Up Duo," Anchor&Arrow is the musical collaboration of husband and wife Matt Dashem and Jennifer Henry-Dashem. Their unique sound is an upbeat mix of soul, funk, rock, and jazz: a culmination of many years of their individual musical styles and experience. Jenn’s moving voice fused with Matt’s seasoned guitar can be enjoyed by music lovers of all kinds, but especially those fond of having a good time. The duo is known for putting their own twists on familiar tunes; blending styles and swapping genres with ease and originality. Each Anchor&Arrow performance is tailored to venue and audience while always welcoming space for the unexpected.

☮ Cone of Silence ☮

Cone of Silence began in 2012 with a focus on re-creating some of the most iconic rock and progressive rock songs of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. The quartet features Steve Christensen on guitar, Liz Grove on keyboards, John Lynch on drums, and James Miller on bass. Known for their big arrangements, three-part harmonies and a biblical attention to sound quality, they cover songs by Yes, Genesis, Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull and the Beatles.

☮ Hops & Vines ☮

Voted the third best band in Happy Valley by State College Magazine, Hops & Vines are Christie Clancy on lead vocals and Jonathan McVerry on guitar and vocals. They started as a duo in 2013 and quickly gathered accolades for their original music as well as their powerful interpretation of covers. Influenced by bands such as Pearl Jam, Blondie, REM and 90’s alt, Christie’s powerful and authentic vocals can bring down the house.

☮ J.R. Mangan Band ☮

Guitarist/singer J.R. Mangan has been part of the State College music scene since 1984 and has loved every minute of it. Most Saturday nights you can catch the band at The Café 210! Veronica Auger is J.R.’s latest vocalist in a long line of talented female singers. JR and Veronica are joined by band members Mark Toci on guitar, Jason Ebersole bass/vocals and John Lynch on drums/vocals.

☮ Midstate Select ☮

With a rootsy blend of country, folk rock, blues and soulful harmonies, Midstate Select is a collection of familiar faces on the State College music scene.The group began as a side project for up-and-coming local musicians Anna Pearl Belinda (vocals), Sean Heffernan (guitar), and Sam Milz (guitar/vocals). As the group found its sound, Belinda, Heffernan, and Milz enlisted the talents of veteran musician Andy Tolins of the Triple A Blues Band and Sam Christensen of the Carpetland Flux Collective. That lineup, with additional contributions from the members of Triple A and other local musicians, has brought Midstate Select’s debut album, “On the Road to Lonesome” into being.