Saturday, September 12th: Noon-4:00 pm Pierce Park, Appleton
World Peace Festival Fox Cities brings together people of all ages for a day of celebration, reflection and collective hope for a more peaceful world.
Noon - 4:00 — Enjoy throughout the festival …
- Main Stage Music, Dance, and Speakers
- Info + Vendor Village — meet local orgs + vendors for peace (see map for participating orgs & vendors)
- Mutual Aid Market — free store + supportive info, open to all
- Peace Pole Painting (guided by local artist)
- Face Painting (teen artists) — kids activity area
- Chalk Art — add your peaceful expression on the sidewalks
- Groovy Peace Vibes Photo Opp
- Yard Games & Park Playground
- FREE Water at the Unity Tent
FOOD Vendors:
Sabee Culinary Services, Houdini’s Paninis, Fox Pops
12:00 — Opening: Main Stage
- Welcome by John Polakowski, Unity of Appleton
- Creating a Culture of Peace by Dena Eakles of Wisconsin Network of Peace and Justice
- ‘Building Unity’ Introduction with Timothy Cordon from the Democracy Tour
12:15 — Peace Song Sing-Along: Main Stage
- Led by Savi Gehrke, with Loving Awareness & Singing Resistance Fox Cities and everyone who’d love to sing along!
12:50 — Songwriting for Peace Playshop w/Karli from Natural Satellite: Under a shade tree! … Look for Karli’s Cello!
- Co-Create a Peace Song: “Our Voices, Our Song” to perform on stage with Karli and Jason at the end of their Natural Satellite performance (Sing at 3 PM)
- Open to ALL — adults and kids and everyone in between!
1:00 — Bollywood & Bhangra Dance Performance By The M-Effect: Main Stage
- Get ready for colorful music, energetic moves, and lots of enthusiasm from the young performers trained at The M-Effect
- Also, Mahima Grover and Neha Malik will take the stage for an energetic Bhangra and contemporary performance. Enjoy the explosive music and amazing choreography.
1:30 — Love, Light, and Harmony with Penny and Gabe: Main Stage
- Local singer-songwriter duo
1:50 — Pause for Peace (main stage break)
- Connect with fellow peace festers, stroll through the orgs and vendor booths + enjoy the festival
2:15 — Natural Satellite with Karli and Jason Reisdorf: Main Stage
- Jason’s saxophone weaves in and out of verses harmonizing beautifully with Karli’s angelic voice. Their lyrics center on themes of self-love, reflection and personal growth—offering listeners both comfort and inspiration.
3:00 — Our Voices, Our Song — Playshop Song Performance with Natural Satellite: Main Stage
- All songwriting participants are invited and welcome to join Jason and Karli on stage to perform the song they all co-created together
3:20 — Synchronicity Band & Badger State Choirs: Main Stage
- Synchronicity Band from Unity of Appleton joins with Appleton-based Badger State Girl Choir + Oshkosh-based Badger State Youth Choir
3:45 — Festival Closing | Peace BE!
- Gratitude + Raffle Basket Winners + Announcements
Karli and Jason Reisdorf have been enchanting audiences with their distinct sound for nearly a decade, blending artistry, intimacy, and innovation into every performance.
The couple met in 2011 while studying at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, and their connection—both musical and personal—has blossomed into a family and a shared creative life. The Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) award winning duo combines finger-style cello, warm saxophone improvisation, and rich vocal harmonies to create music that is as emotionally resonant as it is sonically unique. Their sound draws comparisons to genre-blending acts like Morphine and Portishead, yet remains unmistakably their own.
Savi has been lovingly guiding singing circles of all kinds for decades. Singing together helps, it feels GOOD! It helps give emotions a safe channel for release, it helps to uplift our tired spirits and renew our souls, it opens the heart and calms the mind, it creates a deeper sense of belonging and unified connection, it brings inner-harmony.
Raising our voices in song creates a unified field of purpose, power, and love that amplifies our connection and collective presence.
Come raise your voices in song with us … Community Sing-Alongs, Mantra Music Journeys, Singing Resistance Sing-Ins and Action Sings, and more!
The M-Effect Youth Performance:
Our young dancers from The M-Effect Studio, ages 6-14, will present a lively medley of Bollywood and Bhangra. These dances are part of what they learn at the studio and have been choreographed by Mahima Grover. Get ready for colorful music, energetic moves, and lots of enthusiasm from our young performers!
Performers: Maya, Nieya, Sitara, Anaya, Elina, Saihaj
The M-Effect Adult Performance:
Mahima Grover and Neha Malik will take the stage for an energetic Bhangra and contemporary performance. Get ready for some explosive music and amazing choreography.
Bhangra and Bollywood style dance are offered as youth and adult dance classes at The M-Effect Studio, where both adults and youth can learn, exercise, and enjoy these vibrant Indian dance forms.
Love, Light and Harmony is a Wisconsin based Kirtan and singer/songwriter band. Members include Penny Paiser-Wilson and Gabriel Wilson.
A place to build self-confidence and personal growth through the power of song. Our programs make it easy for local families to access a premier choral education that builds confidence and creativity! The Badger State Youth Choir: Oshkosh is an auditioned youth choir located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin open to 2nd - 12th-Graders who are dedicated to life-enhancing experiences through the study and performance of significant choral music.
Synchronicity is a local live music band associated with the Unity of Appleton spiritual community. The band frequently performs at community outreach and public events coordinated by the church, most notably the annual World Peace Festival Fox Cities held at Pierce Park
Highlights from last year's festival
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World Peace Festival Fox Cities 2025
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