RIVER FALLS – Ava Redmond, 2022 graduate of River Falls High School and current UW-Eau Claire music education major, has been selected as a performer in the prestigious Kids from Wisconsin, a popular musical group that tours and performs to over 120,000 each summer including twice daily at the Wisconsin State Fair.

Redmond was chosen from hundreds of Wisconsin’s finest young musicians who competed in state-wide auditions. She will be part of the group which includes 22 singer-dancers along with a 14-piece augmented stage band that will put on a fully staged Broadway caliber production across Wisconsin.

“I’m honored to tour with Kids from Wisconsin this summer!” Redmond said. “We’ve put together a high-energy, professional show and are excited to share it with you at our free performance on July 28 at 7 p.m. at UWRF Amphitheater in River Falls. Please come out to enjoy music and the performing arts - there’s no better way to spend a summer evening in Wisconsin!”

2023 celebrates 55 years of Kids from Wisconsin performances and high energy production. Participating in this professional, one-of-a-kind experience has positively affected the lives of 1,100-plus alumni and the 10 million audience members who have been inspired by the Kids from Wisconsin shows for more than five decades.

Redmond will celebrate her hometown show at 7 p.m. Friday, July 28 at UWRF Melvin Wall Amphitheater; this is a free community performance. All show locations can be found on the Kids from Wisconsin website.

Having a hometown KID in any community is an excellent tribute to your communities’ performing arts programs and social capital. Redmond is being sponsored by River Falls Community Arts Base (CAB). The Hometown KID Sponsors help bridge the gap between a tuition- free, professional performing experience and the cost to prepare, house and transport a Hometown KID for the summer.

Kids from Wisconsin recently created a unique partnership with Feeding America (Wisconsin) to use their musical platform for change across the state. A campaign has been created called “Forward Together from Stage to Table.” The partnership brings awareness and knowledge of resources to help solve food and nutrition insecurity in counties they will perform in. Please consider bringing non-perishable food items to donate to the River Falls Community Food Pantry.

The KFW creates a world-class production by the most talented young musicians and dancers in Wisconsin. Performers ages 15-20 are chosen each year from every corner of the state. The performance is a professional, fully staged show designed for a multi-generational audience. They are a mainstay at the Wisconsin State Fair which gave them their start in 1969 and are still going strong today as a robust non-profit youth arts organization. In addition, teaching artists provide year-round music education through core music curriculum created by the KFW that engages students (grades K 3-8) in the underserved neighborhoods of Greater Milwaukee.

The River Falls performance is sponsored by River Falls Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau, UWRF Career Services, UWRF Alumni Association, UWRF Student Involvement and River Falls Municipal Utilities.

Submitted by Kids From Wisconsin