Eight years ago, Kelly Feirtag and Rose Guerin brought a one-night-only women’s music festival called LadyFest to the Ritz on Circuit avenue. On Saturday, the festival is set to take over Alley Waban Park for its biggest year ever, complete with a Grammy Award-winning headliner.

The packed day of live music, food and activism seeks to spotlight women, nonbinary and local artists and will raise money for CONNECT to End Violence, the Island’s sexual and domestic violence resource center through Martha’s Vineyard Community Services.

“It’s a bit daunting, but really exciting,” Ms. Guerin said, reflecting on the magnitude of the year’s programming. “We’re taking on way more than we ever have, and we’re shooting for the moon.”

The festival will be headlined by jazz bassist, singer and five-time Grammy winner Esperanza Spalding. It will also feature performances by Dana Williams, Nanauwe and Ms. Guerin, among others.

The event begins at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday with a set from The Outskirts and continues throughout the day and evening, with Ms. Guerin performing the last act, beginning at 8:15 p.m. There will also be over 50 vendors serving food and offering local crafts for sale, from The Swimming Pig to Mo's Lunch and Fat Ronnie's, to  Lucy Vincent Apparel, Ivry Bell, Alechemy Arts, and many more.

This year, fans can kick off the celebration a day early at a ‘Twas the Night Before LadyFest event on Friday at the Portuguese-American Club. Local bands including Missis Biskis and Jodie Treloar (performing with Sneakytown) will take the stage at this free event, where guests will also have the chance to meet LadyFest partners, including CONNECT.

“We just want to have a fun, more relaxed night before the big night,” Ms. Guerin said.

Tickets for Saturday’s event are $50 for general admission and $125 for VIP spots.

Ms. Guerin said she and Ms. Feirtag hope people will show up, donate and support off-season entertainment, adding that Ms. Feirtag is the “quiet fire” that makes LadyFest run.

“Not only are we trying to lift up marginalized people in the music industry... we’re also doing it for a cause, and we’re also having a good time,” Ms. Guerin said.

For more information and tickets, visit ladyfestmv.com.