The Funk Parade, the annual awesome music festival and parade that happens around U Street, needs your help. It’s planned for May 12 but they were having a hard time raising money while still remaining independent, putting this year’s fest at risk.
They’ve set up a fundraising page where if they raise $60,000 more, local music equipment store Chuck Levin’s will chip in by matching each donation — so your money gets doubled! It’s tax deductible, too.
The event is really fun: multiple music stages around the area, lots of local vendors and food, booths from nonprofits and local organizations, specials at local bars and restaurants, and an awesome street parade down U Street and surrounding blocks.
Here’s more about the event and fundraiser from them, and here’s the fundraiser link again.
Funk Parade organizers announced last week that without an infusion of at least $60,000, the event was unlikely to take place this year, the event’s fifth. The annual Funk Parade and festival brings over 70,000 people to the U Street and Shaw neighborhoods for a day and night of music from dozens of the city’s best musicians and artists.
Past Funk Parade performers have included legendary groups like Rare Essence, Backyard Band, Junkyard Band, Trouble Funk, Malcolm X Drummers and the Sun Ra Arkestra; rising DC stars like Reesa Renee, Aaron Abernathy, Drew Kid, Cautious Clay, FootsXColes, Aztec Sun and Alex Vaughn; local favorites Kokayi, Funk Ark, Fort Knox Five, Wes Felton, Congo Sanchez, UCB, Asheru, Baby Bry Bry, Brass Connection, Black Masala, and Empresarios; and sounds and artists from around the world, including Janka Nabay (Sierra Leone), People’s Champs, Sinkane, Mokoomba (Zimbabwe), Jouwala Collective, Cheick Hamala Diabate (Mali), All the Best Kids, and Elikeh. The parade has featured marching bands from around the city, like Ballou, Eastern, and Duke Ellington High Schools, joined by marching bands from New York to North Carolina, and DC’s own Batala drummers.
“The Funk Parade represents the heart of DC’s music culture and the soul of the city that’s been part of our existence for the past 60 years,” said Adam Levin, grandson of founders Chuck and Marge Levin. “Chuck’s” has helped produce Funk Parade since its inception, providing support and equipment. “When we saw it was in jeopardy we wanted to jump in and see what else we could do. This is the most impactful thing DC has to celebrate the amazing music and arts that are born out of this city. It has to go on.”
Launched last Wednesday, the Funk Parade crowdfunding campaign had raised over $10,000 by Sunday, still short of the amount needed to produce the parade. Chuck Levin’s has promised organizers it will match new contributions the campaign receives to ensure the Funk continues.
“For this event to survive, DC’s business community needs to step up and save it,” said Funk Parade co-founder Justin Rood. “Chuck Levin’s pledge shows it can be done. If Funk Parade survives, it will be because of their generosity. We’re incredibly thankful for their support, and urgently hope others will follow their lead.”
