The third annual Funk Parade is coming in a few weeks: Saturday, May 7th on U Street. The event, which started as a Kickstarter three years ago, features a fair with vendors, food, music and more, a really fun participatory parade, and a music festival around town in the evening.
Their website, Facebook and Facebook invite don’t have a ton of details on what will be there exactly or when, but previous years there were beer gardens, lots of vendors selling crafts, food and more, performances by all kinds of artists, lots of freebies, politicians, and bands all over the place. It was really fun. I would assume this year will be similar.
The “day fair” where a lot of that will take place is noon-7pm on U Street, the parade itself is 2-5pm, and the music festival is 7-10 pm. In previous years, the music festival was in lots of venues around the area, I expect it will be the same way this year.
I’ll update when I hear more info — but mark your calendars!
Here’s a list of bands that will perform, from their website:
PERFORMANCES BY
RARE ESSENCE – FUNK ARK – BRASS CONNECTION – BATALA WASHINGTON – EMPRESARIOS – CONGO SANCHEZ – BLACK MASALA – KOKAYI – THE FIX – PEOPLE’S CHAMPS – NAPPY RIDDEM – FORT KNOX FIVE & QDUP DJ SETS – DJ AYES COLD – SAM PRATHER’S GROOVE ORCHESTRA – ELIKEH – AARON ‘AB’ ABERNATHY W/ LIVE BAND NAT TURNER – RUFUS ROUNDTREE AND DA BMORE BRASS FACTORY – CHELSEY GREEN – BOOMSCAT – FOOTWERK – AZTEC SUN – JOHNNY ARTIS BAND – LUCKY SO & SOS – OF TOMORROW – PROJECTED MAN – ALL THE BEST KIDS – JOHNNY POPCORN – PICNIBUS – CRUSH FUNK BRASS – TRAE CRUDUP & THE COVER-UP – JENNA CAMILLE – BLACK BROADWAY ON U – SUBURBAN SOL – DC LEGENDARY MUSICIANS BAND – BRASS TO THE BONE – IDA CAMPBELL – LADY MARY – JIMI SMOOTH – VAVA UNITED SCHOOL OF SAMBA – MALCOLM X DRUMMERS – HIP HOP ORCHESTRA
