Loyola University New Orleans
10/24/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/24/2025 07:07
The College of Music and Media returns as Freret Fest sponsor, with Stage Dedicated to Student Performances, Collaboration with Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph and HaSizzle
The College of Music and Media returns as Freret Fest sponsor, with Stage Dedicated to Student Performances, Collaboration with Anjelika "Jelly" Joseph and HaSizzle
By Loyola University on Fri, 10/24/2025 - 07:53 Press ReleasesCollege of Music and Media
Students in the College of Music and Media will be back at the Freret Street Festival on Nov. 1, performing with some of the biggest names in local music and learning the ropes of running a large-scale music festival.
The annual art, music and food festival, which will take place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., runs the length of Freret Street from Napoleon to Valmont avenues. The festival originally had been scheduled for March 29 but was postponed because of the potential for bad weather.
Loyola is returning as one of the festival's sponsors, with students performing on and helping to run the free event, now in its 25th year. Anjelika "Jelly" Joseph will headline the Valence Stage, which Loyola is again sponsoring, with special guest HaSizzle. Joseph is well-known throughout the city for her vocal performances with Tank and the Bangas, and Galactic. HaSizzle is a rapper known locally as the "King of Bounce."
A special guest horn section composed of current Loyola students will join Joseph and HaSizzle on stage, adding to the excitement and providing the students with invaluable experience performing alongside seasoned professionals, said Mike Twillmann, who teaches Loyola's "Festival Production" course. The rest of the acts performing on the Valence stage are Loyola students as well, including The Kissing Disease, DIZZY!, Yung Senju, MONTY!, Josiah Day,Abstract, Ja Fearce, Flow Mvnny, Tuller, Kai De Lua, Joey Vesco and Lyle Hutchins.
"The Freret Street Festival offers our Loyola students an unparalleled opportunity to immerse themselves in New Orleans' vibrant cultural scene," Twillmann said. "This year, we're especially excited about our dedicated Loyola stage, which not only showcases our students' talents but also fosters unique collaborations with renowned artists. It's a testament to the enriching experiences that arise from our community partnerships."
Twillmann is responsible for securing the music for the popular, one-day event. In addition to serving as the Valence Stage's performers, students handle booking the festival's other on-stage performances, as well as back-of-house and festival production responsibilities, Twillmann said. Loyola's student-run sound production team, NOLA Sound & Visuals, will be coordinating sound for the Valence Stage, he said.
"Watching what Mike Twillmann has been doing with his Festival Production class and his work producing the music at Freret Fest has been such a pleasure to be a part of the last few years," said Jonathan McHugh, Hilton-Baldridge Eminent Scholar/Chair in Music Industry Studies. "Getting this hands-on experience performing on and helping to manage the Freret Fest stages is exactly what our students need to be successful when they graduate with a degree from Loyola."
In addition to three live music stages, the festival will have 200 vendors offering food, collectibles, jewelry and art. About 20,000 adults and families typically attend Freret Fest, from 75 local and regional zip codes along the Gulf of Mexico.
About the Freret Street Festival
The Freret Street Festival began in 1998 as a neighborhood celebration and homeownership fair. Since 2010, Market Festivals, Inc., the same organization that produces the monthly Freret Market, has produced the event. The Rotary Club of New Orleans Riverbend, a community-based, volunteer service organization, has operated Market Festivals, Inc., since 2019.
About the College of Music and Media
The College of Music and Media is comprised of two schools - the School of Music and Theatre Professions and the School of Communication and Design. Students who choose to study in the college prepare for careers in music, theatre, music industry, design, fine art, filmmaking, strategy, mass media and more.
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