Rising R&B and soul singer Malik James will be one of the several performers at this year’s Springfield Indie Soul Festival on Aug. 23.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
SPRINGFIELD — For its 17th year, the Springfield Indie Soul Festival will offer a “powerful day” of live music, Black entrepreneurship, literature and cultural cuisine for thousands of people.
But there is a new wrinkle this year, according to lead organizer Darryl Moss: attendees will also bear witness and participate in an art exhibit thanks to the festival’s collaboration with Tower Square’s Pan African Historical Museum. Moss said the festival has featured art in the past, but this is the first time they will spotlight an entire exhibit for the works of artists.
The spectacle will showcase paintings, sculptures, digital art and cultural installations from Antiguan poet and painter Iyaba Ibo Mandingo, Atlantan portrait artist Vincent Sherfield and local emerging artist Kahli Hernandez.
“We’ve had artists over the years, but this year, there’s a portion of the festival that will focus on developing artists and renowned artists,” Moss said.
The exhibit is just one facet of the day-long celebration, which runs from noon to 8 p.m. on Aug. 23 at King Phillip’s Stockade in Forest Park. The festival will once again feature a melting pot of Black music, from southern soul to blues to jazz to neo-soul, hip hop and more.
Moss said this year’s slate of performers — ranging from legendary hitmakers to rising stars from all over the world — represent the depth and range of Black music. Nationally recognized soul vocalist Alvin Garrett will perform for 45 minutes, and James “Biscuit” Rouse plans to dedicate a set to a genre-spanning blend of heavy metal, jazz and pop.
The festival will also feature a time slot for Springfield’s emerging musicians, a tribute to soul music with help from Leon Spradley & TM Connection as well as a performance from rising R&B and indie soul singer Malik James.
“It’s very rare you’re going to a festival to see straight jazz, and then the next act might be a gospel act, and then the act after that might be neo soul or indie soul,” Moss said. “We like to mix it up, and we really keep it pure to just remind people of the cultural achievements that we’ve made as it pertains to the music and the arts.”
The festival continues to amplify Black culture in other ways, too. This year, Moss said there will be a curated marketplace showcasing 75 Black-owned microbusinesses as part of the celebration’s perennial “Black Wall Street Vendor Market.”
Moss said the market is an ode to the historic Black Wall Streets of yesteryear, such as Tulsa and Birmingham. He shared that the microbusinesses will showcase their products and services at the festival.
“Black Wall Street [Vendor Market] is a focus on business development,” Moss said. “Because those microbusinesses are the same people that turn around and support the Indie Soul Festival to help us make the event possible every year.”
Aside from those happenings, the festival will once again have a section dedicated to its Writer’s Block Book and Author Fair, where festivalgoers participate in book signings, panel discussions, live readings and meet-and-greets with independent and award-winning Black authors.
Meanwhile, for the hungry attendees, the celebration also captures Southern classics and Afro-Caribbean fusion from Black-owned chefs and food vendors at The Soul Kitchen Food Court, according to Moss.
Because there is no major sponsor, or municipal and legislative support, the festival does have a fee. Moss said it costs $20 for general admission, but the day is free for children under 17 and for seniors over 65.
Although the number of festivalgoers varies every year, Moss said he expects around 1,500 to 2,000 attendees at this year’s festival. He shared that there is always an inherent exhilaration when he attends.
“It’s a euphoric feeling,” Moss said. “It feels like when you go and visit your family members you haven’t seen all year. It’s a reunion of sorts.”
Readers will find more information about the festival on its website: springfieldindiesoulfest.com/.
