Funk Parade

The Washington DC Funk Parade is an annual music and art street festival held on U Street in Washington DC.[1] It is a free, day-long event that aims to unite the community through the celebration of funk music, visual arts and the diverse cultural history of the U Street neighborhood. The event features various live musical performances, live art demonstrations, community workshops and food vendors. The Funk Parade, in which dancers, marching bands, beat-boxers and various other creative art forms, closes the festival in the afternoon.[2]

History

The first Funk Parade was held on May 3, 2014.[3] The co-founders of the event are Justin Rood and Chris Naoum, who brought together many city businesses, venues, art and community organizations to create the event.[3] In 2014, DC government forced the parade to follow a narrow and crowded route down V Street NW, but the 2015 parade took place on the main fair of U Street.[3]

According to founders Rood and Naoum, the parade is meant to bring together all different types of DC community members to celebrate the city's musical history and the historical importance of U Street.[4] DC natives Marvin Gaye and Duke Ellington are commonly seen as some of the most significant musicians to transform the music culture of U Street, making it the heart of live music in DC.[3]

Events

The 2014 Funk Parade attracted more than 25,000 people.[5]

The 2015 Funk Parade began at the beginning of 14th and U Streets all the way to the Howard Theatre at 7th Street and Florida Avenue. The event started off with the Day Fair, showcasing over 50 performing groups and food vendors from 12pm to 5pm. The parade began at 5pm outside the Howard Theatre and showcased local student marching bands including the Duke Ellington Radical Elite Show Band and Batala D.C.[5] The parade ended at the Lincoln Theatre at 7pm, and was followed by more music performances at venues along U Street. The afterparty, beginning at 10pm, featured music groups Trouble Funk, Lee fields and DJ Nitekrawler.[1]

2015 Performances and Events

JBG Lot at Atlantic Plumbing hosted by Union Kitchen and DC Music Download[6] African American Civil War Memorial Stage[6] The Ellington Stage[6] Reeves Center Performance Area[6] The Industrial Bank 2015 Funk Parade Youth Pavilion hosted by Words Beats & Life[6] MA Winter Building Lot hosted by Capital Bop[6] The Funk Parade[6]
Emcee Kokayi Denyse Pearson and the DC Legendary Musicians (DCLM) Jazz Band Universal Capoeira Angola Ra Nubi Princess Mhoon Dance Institute JoGo Project Batala Washington
DJ Ayescold Nubian Spin Chelsey Green and the Green Project Virtuoso Horns Hip-Hop Orchestra from the University of Maryland Akua Alrich Hung Tao Choy Mei Lucky Dragons
Marlee in the Mixx The Ministries of Christ Band from House of Prayer Thaylobleu Urban Artistry DJ RBI Cheick Hamala Options Charter School Drum Line
The New Retro Work It! Studio WandaWoman “Uptown Funk” Under the Influence Band Crush Funk Brass DJ Dizcrybe Rose Jaffe Duke Ellington Radical Elite Show Marching Band
Tosin DCLM R&B Band with Ida Campbell Enoch 7th Prophet Batala Washington DJ Zaydex Royal Knights Marching Band
Empresarios Work It! Studio Belly Dancing Nappy Riddem The Brass Connection DJ JPG Eastern High School “Blue & White” Marching Machine
The Junkyard Band Gallons to Ounces Faycez U Know DJ Haze Work it Studio Crew!
Joy of Motion Youth Ensemble Nation Hand Dance Association Malcolm X Drummers DJ Ra Fred Wesley of James Brown and P-Funk Fame
Black Space by Holly Bass (art) Rufus Roundtree and Da BMore Brass Band DJ Katie Did It
Women in Color by Ra Nubi (art) 2nd Annual Maggot Brain Guitar Jam Session FEATURING Michael “Kid Funkadelic” Hampton DJ Krash

References

  1. 1 2 Cooper, Rachel. "Washington DC Funk Parade 2015 (U Street Music Festival)". About.Com. About.com. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  2. ↑ Rude, Justin. "DC FUNK PARADE" (PDF). Meridian Hill Neighborhood Association.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "The Funk Parade Takes Over U Street on Saturday". dcist. dcist. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  4. ↑ Stein, Perry (2015-05-02). "D.C. celebrates U Street history during packed Funk Parade". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2015-05-03.
  5. 1 2 "U Street funks you up with D.C. Funk Parade". Retrieved 2015-05-03.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Schedule - Funk Parade". Retrieved 2015-05-03.
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