**DUE TO FORECASTED WEATHER CONDITIONS & FLASH FLOOD WATCH, MELANIN FUNK FEST HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED TO FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1ST.**
We’re right around the corner from the next Boulder Social Streets event, Melanin Funk Festival!
What is Boulder Social Streets, you may ask? Downtown Boulder has partnered with the City of Boulder to host a series of free, fun events and activities along 13th Street between Arapahoe Avenue and Canyon Boulevard! So grab your family, neighbors and friends and come meet on the street to spend time with the community and enjoy all that our downtown district has to offer!
Melanin Funk Festival happens this Friday, August 25 from 6 pm-9 pm! It will be a vibrant celebration of Black culture and community in the heart of downtown Boulder. All are welcome to enjoy an evening of fun on 13th Street, featuring renowned artists/local groups, food, drinks and musical performances.
There will be incredible free performances by Annastezhaa of Ramakhandra, who plays a fusion of jazz hip hop and soul. DJ Berry will be mixing up some tunes for the crowd and the incredibly popular The Reminders will put on a show-stopping performance starting at 8 pm.
There will also be numerous vendors, incredible artists and community groups at the festival. Booths include: Adderly Art and her gorgeous paintings and artwork, Thomas E. Lockhart, a multimedia artist and his designs, Radiate Creative, a professionally trained photographer and artist, Earth Fragments, a handmade jewelry designer, and George's Gourmet Pound Cakes, a baker who will be serving delicious pound cakes and treats for purchase.
I had the chance to talk to Yvette Rollins who has been a vital part of this event’s creation. Yvette is an incredible member of the Boulder community and has partnered with Downtown Boulder and the City of Boulder to create this celebration of Black culture and community.
She has extensive experience in the music industry from her time at TMI Music Publishing, the #1 publishing company globally! She has worked with Jay-Z, Beyonce, Coldplay, the Rolling Stones and many globally-recognized musicians. Her area of expertise includes event management at showcases like the Grammys and other major music conferences.
Yvette is also a strong advocate for the NAACP of Boulder County, an organization dedicated to advancing racial equality. She recently spoke on a panel for the organization to help educate the Boulder community and downtown businesses on racial inequalities and microaggressions in order to gain a better understanding of issues and to help foster an inclusive environment for all.
During our interview, Yvette shared with me how excited she was to be a part of the festival and was incredibly proud to hold an integral role in the production of such a community-driven downtown event.
“Residents and visitors have the chance to see our community in the brightest of lights during the Melanin Funk Fest. “It will be a great experience for every race, gender and age to come out and partake in all of the offerings that have been carefully curated from our point of view,” said Yvette.
Yvette also shared how this event has given her a chance to grow professionally and personally. “I am usually more part of the background and behind the scenes when it comes to event production. That is my comfort zone. But working with DBP on this event, I really get the chance to grow in being more visible. This includes sharing elements of my personality and my experiences for the creation of this event which has been a really great opportunity”.
Yvette hopes that the local community and visitors to Boulder will come out and enjoy the festival, “Stand in solidarity, appreciate this event, enjoy food and drink and just have some fun”! Well said, Yvette! The DBP team has the exact same hope/goal for this event. Come out and meet us and enjoy a spectacular opportunity to showcase how incredible and vibrant the Boulder community is. With delicious food, music and drinks, it’ll be hard not to have a good time downtown this Friday.
Yvette is an incredible person with a lot of passion and has done so much in putting together such an amazing festival. I am so excited to attend this event and I hope to see you all on 13th Street this Friday! For more information visit BoulderSocialStreets.com.
Tagged: Festivals