The two-day Veterans Band Aid Music Festival is coming to Virginia Beach for the fifth year in an effort to raise money for emerging treatment used to ease symptoms of service-related traumatic brain injuries in military veterans.
Headlining the concert is country music star Randy Houser, festival organizer Jill Crist said. Other musicians taking the stage include The SteelDrivers, Bryan Martin, Tracielynn, JB Brown and the Jared Stout Band as well as local artists Chase Payne and Cody Christian.
The event is set for May 31 and June 1 at the Holiday Trav-L-Park campground. Early bird tickets have been on sale and regular tickets go on sale Friday. Regular ticket prices range from $55 to $125 for one- and two-day general admission and VIP packages.
Proceeds will go to Virginia Beach-based Coastal Authority Care Foundation, the festival host. The money will be used to offer grants to veterans with service-connected traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder who are seeking a treatment that is not covered by insurance, such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy and neurotherapy. Proceeds may also cover travel and lodging costs for veterans receiving treatment.
Cara Mae Melton, president of Tier 1 Therapy Centers, told The Virginian-Pilot hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be used to treat myriad injuries, illnesses and diseases, such as neuropathy, chronic pain, inflammation and stroke. It also treats wounds that are invisible to the eye, including depression, anxiety, anger and insomnia. The Food and Drug Administration has cleared its use for certain medical conditions, but other uses are considered off-label.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and neurotherapy typically cost $5,000, Crist said. Treatments last 30-40 weeks. Because it is not yet approved by the FDA for traumatic brain injury treatment, it is not covered by insurance.
In past years, the music festival has drawn 800 to 1,000 people per day, but attendance soared to 2,000 people in 2023, Crist said. The foundation has donated more than $90,000 to pay for emerging therapies for 33 veterans since the festival began in 2019.
Tickets for the 2024 Veterans Band Aid Music Festival can be purchased on the Coastal Authority Care Foundation website at cacarefoundation.org/band-aid-music-fest.
Caitlyn Burchett, caitlyn.burchett@virginiamedia.com
