The last concert of 50th & France’s Summer Concert Series, the Edina Education Fund’s Band Together concert, took place on Sept. 5 at the Nolan Mains Plaza. Featuring local artists Zahra Wiedmann, Clara Rose, and Matthew Smith, the event is aimed at raising funds for district-wide mental health resources and making services like therapists and counselors available to all students and staff at Edina Public Schools.
“I wrote a song about mental health,” sophomore Clara Rose said. “It’s called ‘Pick up the Phone,’ and it talks about how you’re never alone, even when you think you are.”
Band Together features several local artists who are passionate about performing and believe that mental health should be an important topic in the community. Zahra Wiedmann, another performer at Band Together, said it is exciting to perform for “a really important cause, especially in today’s political climate.”
Because of Band Together, every building in EPS now has a therapist. Edina Education Fund aims to raise a budget of $120,000 dedicated to mental health for the 2025–26 school year. $30,000 from the budget will be allocated to staff mental health and wellness support, $80,000 will be allocated to benevolence funding for underinsured students, and $10,000 will be allocated to the Mental Health Discretionary Fund. On average, each Edina student is allocated $1,850 of mental health funds.
“The idea was to have this outdoor event bringing people together and bringing awareness around mental health, especially in the wake of COVID,” Sarah Irwin, co-chair of the Edina Education Fund, said. Band Together started in the fall of 2021, which was the first in-person back-to-school season after the pandemic. It was intended as a focus on mental health after a year of virtual learning.
Band Together has grown into a much larger event since 2021. The concert now takes place at 50th & France instead of Edina High School, its original venue. It has also been sponsored by businesses such as Edina Liquor, Jerry’s Enterprises, and Hammer Made.
“We live in a time that is challenging, where there’s just more attention that needs to be brought to the fact that people need [mental] assistance, help, and strategies,” Irwin said.
