As many good things do, Sarahfest started small, thanks to the efforts of a few gender studies students who wanted to celebrate women in the arts. Sarahfest has come a long way since the first festival in 2004, which was held at a local sushi restaurant and mostly featured community talent. While Oxford artists, musicians and writers are still a big part of today's festival, Sarahfest takes place over many days and attracts talented people from far and wide.

The Sarah Isom Center for Women and Gender Studies was established at the University of Mississippi in 1981 to address the changing roles and expectations of women students, faculty and staff. Dr. Joanne V. Hawks served as the founding director of the Sarah Isom Center from 1981 to 1998. Since that time, the Center and an academic program in gender studies have been led by faculty members across disciplines. The current director is Dr. Jaime Harker, a professor of English.

When UM opened its doors to women in 1882, 11 women registered for classes; one of these became the valedictorian of her class. Please give to honor these trailblazers and celebrate 139 years of women at the flagship institution of higher education in Mississippi.

One of the favorite events at past Sarahfests, sorely missed in 2020, has been the concerts on the lawn at Rowan Oak. These events were free, open to everyone in the community and attended by students, professors, staff and local families. Please consider a gift of $300 in honor of the three Rowan Oak concerts of Sarahfest and help ensure those magical nights happen again in the future!

In 2015, Sarahfest was revived with 12 events stretching over a week. A concert at Rowan Oak was headlined by the likes of Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls. The fest also featured nationally renowned authors such as Megan Abbott, artists including a photography exhibit from UM journalism professor Alysia Burton Steele, and performances by local musicians. The 2015 fest was capped by a fundraising concert headlined by Neko Case. 2015 marked an explosive revival of one of the area's favorite events.