Art and Entertainment
Candi Carpenter
Musician
Candi Carpenter (they/them) is a queer, autistic singer-songwriter, producer, and multidisciplinary artist whose music explores identity, healing, freedom, and the lasting impact of religious culture.
Raised as the child of a pastor and immersed in church music from an early age, Carpenter's journey has taken them from gospel stages and the Grand Ole Opry to becoming an acclaimed alternative artist known for their fearless storytelling. Praised by artists including Dolly Parton and Brandi Carlile, they have built a devoted following through music that is both deeply personal and broadly resonant.
Their work confronts questions of belief, belonging, and self-discovery with honesty, creativity, and compassion. Blending elements of rock, alternative, and pop, Carpenter creates music for those rebuilding community and meaning after difficult experiences. Their latest project, Reincarnation, continues that exploration through a powerful collection of songs about transformation, resilience, and finding hope in unexpected places. 🔗 Follow them on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook (candicarpenter), TikTok (candi_carpenter) and Bluesky (candicarpenter.bsky.social) and on their website (candicarpenter.com)
📅 They will be performing in the mid afternoon at the main event as well as at the Fundraising Reception.
Their work confronts questions of belief, belonging, and self-discovery with honesty, creativity, and compassion. Blending elements of rock, alternative, and pop, Carpenter creates music for those rebuilding community and meaning after difficult experiences. Their latest project, Reincarnation, continues that exploration through a powerful collection of songs about transformation, resilience, and finding hope in unexpected places. 🔗 Follow them on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook (candicarpenter), TikTok (candi_carpenter) and Bluesky (candicarpenter.bsky.social) and on their website (candicarpenter.com)
📅 They will be performing in the mid afternoon at the main event as well as at the Fundraising Reception.
Sean O'Brien
Actor, performing as Robert Ingersoll
Sean has for many years been performing, directing and teaching the art of acting in professional, community and educational theaters across the country.
Upon retiring from teaching, he began Every Corner Productions which boasts two one-man shows: "The Portable Poe Show" in which Sean performs dramatizations of Poe's poetry and short stories, and "Bob: The Words of Col. Robert Green Ingersoll" which is a composite of passages taken from Ingersoll's most memorable speeches.
Andy Swan
Performing as Uncle Sam
It all began when Andy's oldest brother, George, taught him how to juggle back in 1966. At first Andy would visit the circuses just to see the jugglers, but once he saw what else the circus had to offer he fell in love. After high school he went off to join the DeWayne Bros. Circus in Oregon. During his year with them he learned just about everything there was to learn about circus life.
Andy will delight children and adults with juggling, balloon animals, magic, and all kinds of good-natured fun. 🔗You can read more about Andy at his website (http://sbcircus.com). 📅 He will be delighting out guests on Sunday in the afternoon, on the move through the crowd and exhibitor area.
Andy will delight children and adults with juggling, balloon animals, magic, and all kinds of good-natured fun. 🔗You can read more about Andy at his website (http://sbcircus.com). 📅 He will be delighting out guests on Sunday in the afternoon, on the move through the crowd and exhibitor area.
Rina Wakefield
Entertainer and Poet
Rina is a spoken word poet, activist, and librarian who holds a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science. She is a collaborating member of Myrtle Tree Arts and facilitates community events that highlight environmental awareness, humanitarian efforts, and promote equity for underrepresented groups. She was a member of the Sacramento Poetry Week Committee in 2024 and served on the International Human Rights Day Committee from 2022 to 2025. She has been the featured Spoken Word Performer for El Dorado County’s Poet Laureate program, a featured poet at Placerville’s Human Rights Day, and was featured at Chateau Duvall in 2023.
Rina was published in the GTFO Poetry Anthology (2024) and in Art and Culture El Dorado’s chapbook Poets of the Firehouse Sessions (2023). As a journalist, her work has appeared in The Mountain Democrat, the California Business Journal, dametraveler.com, and Performer Magazine. She is currently working on a prose-poetry chapbook and a creative nonfiction novel based on the female lineage of her Indigenous heritage —the Purépecha people of northwestern Michoacán, Mexico. As a culture keeper and literary event coordinator, she served as a creative designer for the Sugar Skull Art Walk project in 2023 and produced its poetry performances in 2024. 🔗Follow her on Instagram (_rinawrite) and her website (rinawrites.com) 📅 He will be delighting out guests on Sunday in the afternoon, on the move through the crowd and exhibitor area.
Rina was published in the GTFO Poetry Anthology (2024) and in Art and Culture El Dorado’s chapbook Poets of the Firehouse Sessions (2023). As a journalist, her work has appeared in The Mountain Democrat, the California Business Journal, dametraveler.com, and Performer Magazine. She is currently working on a prose-poetry chapbook and a creative nonfiction novel based on the female lineage of her Indigenous heritage —the Purépecha people of northwestern Michoacán, Mexico. As a culture keeper and literary event coordinator, she served as a creative designer for the Sugar Skull Art Walk project in 2023 and produced its poetry performances in 2024. 🔗Follow her on Instagram (_rinawrite) and her website (rinawrites.com) 📅 He will be delighting out guests on Sunday in the afternoon, on the move through the crowd and exhibitor area.
Abraham Steve MAckey
Singer, Songwriter
Steve comes with a background of many years in gospel music. Twenty years ago, he left that scene to engage life without a belief in God and has returned to his original musical passion for the music of 60's and 70's.
He will be providing the background sounds of those rock and folk-rock classics during Saturday evening's reception.
🔗 Follow him on Youtube and Facebook (Abraham Steve Mackey).
📅 Steve will be performing on Saturday at our Fundraiser Reception.
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Lourdes Ayon
Comedian
Born in Tijuana and raised in San Diego, Lourdes Ayón draws on Mexican culture, family dynamics, and the realities of aging for her energetic and deeply personal stand-up.
Now based in Sacramento, she has appeared at the Latina Comedy Festival, placed among the Top 40 comics at the 2025 World Series of Comedy, and performed at venues including the Laugh Factory, Cobb’s, Punch Line, and Laughs Unlimited.
📅 Lourdes will perform at our Fundraising Reception.