Though Lady Gaga and Beyoncé are some of the biggest names in music today, you won't find pop divas on Lilith's lineup. Camden's concert featured mostly alt-rock, folk-tinged singer-songwriters.
The big act everyone was holding out for was Lilith founder Sarah McLachlan, but small-yet-enthusiastic crowds gathered around a secondary stage for lesser-known acts such as Hennessy and Butterfly Boucher, McLachlan's bassist.
By the time Court Yard Hounds, fronted by the Dixie Chicks' Martie Maguire and Emily Robison, took the stage late Wednesday night, half the crowd was on its feet and dancing to exuberant fiddle music.
During McLachlan's set, there was barely a soul in the audience who didn't know the words to at least a few songs.
But Lilith offers itself as a tour with a conscience, too, donating $1 from each ticket to a local charity on each leg of the tour. (For Camden's stop, it was the Manayunk charity Supportive Older Women's Network.)
Tents for featured charities shared space with booths shilling Degree deodorant, Crystal Light flavored drinks, and ABC television pilots.
Women converged on Lilipad, an air-conditioned lounge handing out cool, scented towels and, yes, free tampon samples. Johnson & Johnson, the tent's sponsor, had also decked out a bathroom with pink lights, green carpeting, flower decals, and air fresheners.
Out on the lawn, fairgoers spread out blankets and lawn chairs. Some fell asleep in the sun. Many had been to the original Lilith Fairs and snapped up tickets as soon as they heard it was coming back.
Jenn Donisi, 39, drove from Chestertown, Md., with her daughters, Francesca, 11, and Carmen, 9. The last time she was at Lilith Fair, Donisi was pregnant with Francesca.
"I feel like it's more commercial this time," Donisi said. "I miss that artsy feel it had."
