North Shore Acappella to Headline Benefit Concert at Merrill Auditorium, 6/16

NBC Sing-Off crowd-pleasers North Shore Acapella will perform on Sunday, June 16, in a concert to benefit Greater Portland Festival of Nations and the Mugadi Foundation. Hosted by Portland's own Odokara-Okigbo, the concert also features local performing groups Zemya, a world music ensemble known for their beautiful, edgy folk harmonies; and the Boy Singers of Maine., a perennial favorite with a 30-year history of bringing Maine's talented young male voices to the stage.

North Shore Acappella is a funny, charismatic quintet that won the hearts of fans and judges alike on Season 3 of Sing-Off. Host Michael Odokara-Okigbo also gained fame that season for leading his college singing group, the Dartmouth Aires, to a second-place finish on the NBC show, which displayed Michael as a powerhouse lead singer. Michael now lives in LA and is working on his solo EP. He will perform some his new songs and will also perform with all three groups in a Father's Day event that promises to be as inspiring as it is entertaining.

In addition to his acclaimed versatility and superstar stage presence, Michael Odokara-Okigbo is also the force behind the Mugadi Foundation, which works to improve education and living conditions for underprivileged children in developing nations. Proceeds from the concert will benefit the foundation's latest project to help children living in the northernmost region of Ethiopia.

The Mugadi Foundation is also the main sponsor of the Greater Portland Festival of Nations the oldest annual celebration of diversity and inclusion. The 2013 festival will be held on July 28th in Portland's Deering Oaks Park.

"A Celebration of Dreams," begins at 3 PM. The benefit sold out last year and tickets for this year's concert are expected to go quickly!

Tickets are $26 for adults and $15 for children/students with IDs. (Prices include service fees.) Tickets are available through PorTIX at www.porttix.com or (207) 842-0800.