Athens-based nonprofit organization Jam For Cam raised more than $1.2 million for skin cancer research and detection with its Jam in the Streets festival Saturday, which attracted more than 25,000 people to Downtown Athens. 

Jam in the Streets featured 19 performances across seven stages, headlined by Goose. The festival honored the dream of Cameron Fearon, a University of Georgia student who passed away at 19 from metastatic melanoma. 

Fearon’s closest friends at UGA make up Jam For Cam’s Board of Directors who guide the festival. They are assisted by hundreds of student volunteers, dozens of local partners and students from the local leadership certification, UGA’s Terry College of Business Institute for Leadership Advancement. 

Backed by presenting sponsor Sun Bum, Akins Ford Arena and Visit Athens and partners including the Melanoma Research Foundation, University Cancer & Blood Center and Georgia Skin Cancer, the festival raised melanoma awareness, promoted early detection and carried forward Fearon’s legacy, life and love of live music.

“This weekend was our most successful by far, and we are so grateful for everyone who donated and filled the streets of Athens on Saturday for an incredible day of music,” said Matthew Brown, a Jam For Cam board member and Fearon’s college roommate. “Cam would be blown away by all of the support, and we are excited to keep building Jam in the Streets to make an even bigger impact and honor his legacy.”

Since 2018, Jam For Cam’s signature event has grown from a battle of the bands on a frat house lawn to a brewery on the outskirts of Athens, and now to a major downtown festival. In addition to Saturday’s festivities, Jam For Cam hosted dermatology spot-checks for hundreds of students on campus, an Atlanta-to-Athens relay race fundraiser, a speaker series and multiple battle of the bands events. 

With the success of the 2026 Jam in the Streets, the Jam For Cam team turns its attention to 2027. For more information, visit www.jam4cam.com.