UTICA – When the music starts playing in downtown Utica on Sunday, Oct. 1, cancer patients from both the Illinois Valley and the hurricane disaster zones will benefit. The fourth annual Angel of HopeFest, the free street festival set for 12-4 p.m., will help raise funds for those struggling both near and far.

"Every year, we raise money for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life in order to celebrate, remember and fight back," Relay team Angels Among Us captain Nancy Jackson of Mendota said. "But imagine the horror of not being able to fight back against cancer because your treatment center got destroyed or you had to evacuate away from your regular medical team. Cancer patients who are displaced because of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma need our help accessing care."

This year, the team will have a special donation jar with a Twitter photo backdrop for festival-goers to Tweet their support with #HurriCancerHelp.

The event, which also helps fund cancer research and reaches out to aid Illinois Valley cancer patients, will once again take place on Mill Street in Utica. Chicago blues band Howard & The White Boys is the headline act, with local favorites Todd Witek and Big Uproar providing their own brand of great music. 

Jackson’s Relay team is joined by the Utica Business Association and August Hill Winery in creating the event, which grows every year. This year, there will be artisan vendors, raffles, a 50/50, and local food and drink specials. In the event of inclement weather, the festivities will be held inside the Canal Market building, just one block south of the I&M Canal from downtown.

Before the music starts, hikers can head up to Starved Rock for the “Hike for a Cure” event, which starts at the Back Door Lounge at Starved Rock Lodge. There will be four different guided tours (9 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.) or hikers can take their own personal hike to the top of Starved Rock in support of a cure for breast cancer. A $20 donation includes a T-shirt, light breakfast, and a HOPE stone to carry on the hike.

To register for a hike, sign up at www.starvedrocklodge.com or call (815) 220-7386. 

Last year, Starved Rock Lodge presented a check to Jackson’s Relay team in the amount of $3,000 from their cancer fundraising efforts. Funds from this year’s events will help connect displaced patients and cancer care providers as they rebuild or move back home in the wake of the hurricanes and help provide care for local residents alike.