Annual Concert for Autism returns for 15th year, shows Oct. 16, 22
Josh and Linda Heinz are back with more great music from some of the Coachella Valley’s most talented bands and musicians, all playing for a good cause.
The 15th annual Concert for Autism is a multi-day event to raise funds and awareness for the Desert Autism Foundation. Autism is an issue that hits close to home for Josh, Linda and their bandmate Armando Flores, as they all have sons on the autism spectrum.
The event comprises four individual shows. A kick-off took place Sept. 30 at Big Rock Pub in Indio, followed by a lead-up event at The Hood in Palm Desert on Oct. 8.
Up next is an Acoustic Afternoon for Autism, happening Oct. 16 at Coachella Valley Brewing Co. in Thousand Palms. The show starts at 1 p.m. Scheduled performers include Mark Gregg of 3M Studios, Courtney Chambers, The Steve & The Saddle, Yovés, Switcharoo, Adam Gainey, Five Acre Dream, Marc Saxe, Michael Anthony and Wendy Adele Evered.
“Everybody plays for free,” Heinz says, “and they do it all because they care, because they have a big heart.”
A suggested donation for each event will be collected at the door, and donations will be accepted throughout the events.
The main event will take place Oct. 22 at The Tack Room Tavern in Indio from 3 p.m. until midnight. “We wanted to go back to The Tack Room for our main event because it's got such a large patio and we can have kids tables and activities for kids and families and stuff out there,” Heinz says.
“At the big show, we'll have raffles and silent auctions with donated items from businesses all across the valley.
“We’ll also have — we started this in 2019 — a sensory tent provided by Desert Occupational Therapy. A sensory tent is, basically, a cool-down quiet space for individuals with autism because sometimes when there's too much stimulation, too much noise, too many people, they need a break.
“Our event is open to families until 10 o'clock. Any child under 18 is allowed to be there. But at the big event at The Tack Room, a lot of families with children on the spectrum or young adults on the spectrum come out because they know that we will accept them and that we want them there. We want them to have that experience.”
Scheduled to perform at the main event are Fever Dog, The Hellions, Blasting Echo, Elektric Lucie, Pescaterritory, Krystofer Do, Crucial Culture, Both Ways Uphill, Academy of Musical Performance, Michael Keeth, Jetta King, Matt Davin, Kelsey Manning, Rick Shelley, Lance Riebsomer, David Saba and David Heinz.
The reason for the multi-day performances is simple. “Over the years, we had so many bands and so many musicians that asked to play,” Heinz says, “and so we just kept expanding it.”
This year, Heinz was fortunate to get the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians on board as a presenting sponsor. “Working with the tribe has been great,” he says. “They support so many local causes, and I was glad to know they have sponsored autism organizations in the past.”
A supporting sponsor is 3M Studios, which is a new music recording, producing and rehearsal studios built by Mark Gregg, who will play the acoustic show on the 16th.
“Mark has been out here for a long time,” Heinz says. “He has a connection with autism in his family. He approached me and wanted to help sponsor the event, so I definitely want to bring attention to him and thank him for his contribution.”
Another goal, Heinz says, this one outside the music milieu, is to help get the Coachella Valley Destination Autism certified.
“There's a company called IBCCES out of Florida, and they've been doing certifications for over 20 years,” he says. “It's an initiative we're doing through Visit Greater Palm Springs [a Concert for Autism sponsor]. The goal is to get businesses to take online classes about autism. The majority of those classes are only about 30 minutes long. The idea is to educate them and get that certification so local businesses in tourism can tell everybody across the nation and the world: 'If your family has a child with autism that can travel and wants to travel well, a large percentage of hotels, restaurants and businesses in Greater Palm Springs have received education so they can better understand the needs of a family with a child with autism.'"
The Desert Autism Foundation provides financial assistance to autistic individuals and their families. Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that autism now occurs in 1 out of every 44 children.
For more information about the Concert for Autism, including complete lineups and sponsors, visit concertforautism.com.
As the philanthropy and special sections editor at The Desert Sun, Winston Gieseke writes about nonprofits, fundraising and locals who give back. Reach him at winston.gieseke@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Annual Concert for Autism returns for 15th year, shows Oct. 16, 22
