Nathaniel Rateliff

Lovefest, featuring Nathaniel Rateliff: A good cause brings the CA community together

Mark your calendar! April 22 will be a day of fun on campus and a night of fundraising online, as we share the love of Lovefest with the entire Colorado Academy community.

Unlike CA benefit events of the past, Lovefest will be a day-long celebration of CA. Consider it a spirit day like no other, as students, faculty, and staff enjoy on-campus treats and cheer, and parents and families sit back and enjoy the evening event streamed online. Registration for Lovefest is free, and everyone is invited to be a part of the virtual celebration.

Nathaniel Rateliff returns to CA

The Lovefest event committee is proud to share that the evening’s entertainment marks Nathaniel Rateliff’s return to CA. Rateliff and his band, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, first performed at CA in May 2016 for CA’s fourth biennial concert—just after they rocketed to fame with their appearance on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Now five years later, Rateliff returns to CA, on the heels of his highly acclaimed February 13 debut on Saturday Night Live. Rateliff is currently garnering buzz for his song, “Redemption,” written for the recently released film, Palmer, which stars Justin Timberlake and Juno Temple. Rateliff will be playing songs from his recent solo album And It’s Still Alright, as well as the Night Sweats catalog.

Chris Tetzeli, CA parent and founder of 7S Management, a boutique artist-management company, helped the school pioneer the benefit concert series and is credited with bringing Rateliff back to CA for the virtual 2021 event.

Support for deserving students

Lovefest serves as our annual event to benefit student financial aid. All net proceeds from the event go to support Colorado Academy’s commitment to providing more than $4 million in financial aid to 19 percent of the school’s student population. The school’s financial aid budget is also funded by The CA Fund, distributions from the endowment, and a portion of tuition. Financial aid, which is provided by the school with no repayment requirements, is need-based.

“Lovefest is a chance for the entire CA Community to connect with this vital part of our mission,” says Head of School Dr. Mike Davis. “Everyone benefits when we commit to building the kind of community where all who qualify academically are welcome.”

Lovefest committee involves all divisions

The spring 2021 event is headed by CA parents and Lovefest Chairs Ann (CA ‘88) and Kevin Reidy and a team of CA parents representing all of the school divisions, including: Caity and Alex Barton (CA ‘97), Meghan and Chris Brown, Annie and Rob Campbell, Hilary and Adam Haynes, Rennie and Kevin McCabe, Reena and Suchit Majmudar, Margaret and John Matthews, Eileen and Tate McCoy, Liz (CA ‘93) and Chris Oertel, Healy and Ted Parks, Alli (CA ‘95) and Nelson Perkins, Emily Philpott and Chris Tetzeli, Courtney and Jonathan Ringham, Melinda and Andrew Robinson, Maggie and David Shapiro, and Wendy and Tom Thorpe.

“Having postponed last spring’s event due to the pandemic, we are grateful for this tremendous group of parents that agreed to stay on the committee and continue their work to create a one-of-a-kind event for the community,” says Ann Reidy.

How to support Lovefest

Registration for Lovefest is FREE, and everyone who registers will be entered in a drawing to win a variety of fantastic on-campus and off-campus packages. Sign up to be a Lovefest Friend for $75, where you’ll receive wine and special Lovefest swag, or you can also sign up to be a Benefactor for $500 to $5,000 and receive a variety of benefits. Look for an email later this month to register and support Lovefest.

There will also be an online silent auction with a plethora of items at a variety of price points, including teacher experiences, sports and outdoor packages, cuisine and wine, and unique opportunities for groups. Additionally, the Lovefest virtual live auction will include once-in-a-lifetime experiences. The silent auction will open in mid-April prior to Lovefest.

Kevin Reidy says, “We hope the entire community can be a part of this effort, whether through registering and participating in the event, by becoming a Benefactor, bidding in the auction, or by simply making a gift to financial aid at the school.”

“It is only through the generosity of our community that we are able to create these kinds of events and to generate such remarkable support,” says Mike Davis. “We are deeply appreciative and also very excited about this April’s Lovefest event at CA.”