Essential Fest, Catholic Charities’ big summer fundraiser and what could end up being the only music festival in town for quite some time. Reminder: Essential Fest is virtual, i.e. livestreamed via the Internet, i.e. not something you will go physically attend but rather will tune into from wherever you are.

For all enthusiasts of great live music, appreciators of socially-distanced outdoor mingling, and enjoyers of parties with a purpose:

1. Go to essentialfest.com and get your ticket. The show is this Thursday night from 6-10 p.m. Tickets start at just 5 bucks. You can get tickets any time, even once the show’s started. But, best to just do it now while it’s fresh on your brain.

2. Head down to Brickway and pick up some tasty, hand-crafted adult beverages – tell ’em you’ll be livestreaming Essential Fest and they will give you 25% off whatever you buy. Which is seriously a crazy good deal. Don’t pass that up.

3. Tell your friends, your family, your neighbors, your small circle of people you would most want to take in a concert with. Set up an outdoor viewing party and invite those people over. Keep it simple and pull it up on your laptop or go big and do an outdoor projection. Enjoy some great local live music (probably for the first time in a long while), socialize responsibly, celebrate summer, and feel good about supporting a great cause while you’re doing it.