2nd Street Festival’s Poster Unveiling Party, Headliners and Full Festival Schedule

The 2^nd Street Festival, presented by Altria and Dominion Energy, will take place Saturday-Sunday, October 5-6, celebrating the rich culture of the historic Jackson Ward neighborhood. This FREE event is produced by Venture Richmond Events, LLC.

New this year, FREE, and open to the public, DJ Lonnie B kicks-off the festival week at the 2nd Street Festival’s poster unveiling event on Saturday, September 28 from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at the Hippodrome Theater, 528 N. 2nd Street. Food and beverages are available for purchase.

The Festival is proud to celebrate artist and native Richmonder, Sone-Seeré Burrell, the first female artist commissioned for the 2nd Street Festival’s original poster art. Her work will be unveiled on Sept. 28, and will be sold during the 2019 festival.

As always, the 2^nd Street Festival takes place the first full weekend in October. Over the years, it has grown to be one of the Mid-Atlantic’s largest street festivals. Nearly 30,000 people visit historic Jackson Ward to reminisce about the days when 2nd Street was the heart and soul of Richmond’s African American community and the neighborhood was known as “the Harlem of the South.” The festival features four stages of live musical entertainment, along with food vendors, a marketplace, a Kidz Zone programmed by the Children’s Museum of Richmond, balloon twisting by Balloons By Extreme and Artists Row featuring Sone-Seeré Burrell; David Marion, Liberated Flow; Kelvin Henderson, Fruit of the Spirit; Abdul Badi, The Art of Badi; and Resheda Pullen Jireh.

This year, the festival features co-headliners E. U. and Legacy Band, and is spotlighting smooth jazz artist, Phillip “Doc” Martin and jazz keyboardist, Nathan Mitchell. DJ Drake, Christian “Big New York” de MeSones, Tunji Band, Virginia Union University Gospel Choir, award winning Ephesus Drumline and many other performers will be showcased over the two day festival.

Festival Artist, Sone-Sereé Burrell

Burrell often has each of her creative fingers in a different artistic venture, and from an early age she felt a strong connection with creative expression. Majoring in Graphic Design & Technology, she graduated summa cum laude from North Carolina A&T State University. Burrell currently works as an art therapist at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital and at a youth residential treatment facility. Her passion for the arts and mental health fuels her drive to share the healing power of the expressive arts with others. Whether she’s exploring through her own art process, recording her painting through videos set to music, hosting paint parties, leading therapeutic painting classes, or providing creative outlets for expression with teenagers, the art process is central to her life. Remarks and unveiling her poster artwork will be at the event on Sept. 28, at about 7:30 p.m. Posters will be available for purchase.

Saturday’s Headliner, EU

EU (Experience Unlimited) is one of the original Washington, DC Go-Go bands. Fronted by founding member Gregory “Sugar Bear” Elliott, the original members all attended Ballou High School in Washington, DC. Their early regional hits included EU Freeze, Lock Your Butt, and Knock ‘Em Out Sugar Ray. Although they are best known for their Grammy nominated, massive worldwide hit DaButt from Spike Lee’s “School Daze” soundtrack, EU scored hits with Salt & Papa (Shake Your Thang), with rap innovator Kurtis Blow (Party Time), and on their own with Buck Wild and Taste of Your Love. Da Butt won Soul Train’s best R&B/Soul Single, Group in 1989. EU has performed with Teena Marie, Morris Day and The Time, Mint Condition, Cameo and countless others. They performed on a show with Bob Dylan in 1989, one of Sugar Bear’s career highlights. In 2003, EU performed to a national audience on the televised NAACP Awards’ Tribute to Spike Lee. EU has been featured in 2009 in VH1 one hit wonders of the 1980’s. EU is currently in the studio working on a new CD, and they continue to rock the stage night after night.

Sunday’s Closing Performance, Legacy Band

Legacy Band is an adored Richmond favorite, playing all top hits with a mix of soul, R&B, funk and jazz. The band was originally formed by guitarist Jose Pomier and vocalist Kaila Valdez.

Spotlight Featured Performer, Phillip “Doc” Martin

Most artists who put a “Doc” in their name do it out of cleverness, for marketing reasons, or as a crafty way to express the mastery of their instrument or vibe. Since the release of his 2003 debut “Saxappeal,” Phillip “Doc” Martin has all that down pat, wowing audiences everywhere from Blues Alley in D.C., to the St. Lucia Jazz Festival and Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival and earning inspiring amounts of airplay for tracks like “Deep Pockets,” the title track from his 2009 set Realization.

While many independent artists with cool, successful “day jobs” prefer to avoid references to them when they talk about their music, Martin is the complete opposite, fully embracing the

inspirational factor of being a top notch practitioner in two very different professions. Beyond his ever-expanding musical fan base, hundreds of patients in the Washington, DC area know him as “Dr. Martin,” a board certified dentist in a group practice there.

Spotlight Featured Performer, Nathan Mitchell

Producer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and singer, Nathan Mitchell, aka “Nate,” is becoming one of the most sought after talents on the national smooth jazz market. Since his 2011 entrance into the smooth jazz industry as a premier keyboardist, organist and vocalist, he has performed with a widely diverse list of some of the biggest artists in the music industry, including Grammy nominees/winners and billboard chart toppers such as: Paul Brown, Gerald Veasley, Mindi Abair and Marcus Anderson, as well as many other acclaimed artists. Nate released his debut single, “For All Eternity” in 2013 featuring national acclaimed saxophonist, Marcus Anderson and guitarist, Nate Najar. The passion of Nathan Mitchell’s smooth jazz is soul stirring and powerful.

FREE Walking Tours

Venture Richmond Events will provide FREE guided walking tours led by Gary Flowers who has a four-generation family connection to Historic Jackson Ward. “Educating the public to the place Historic Jackson Ward holds in commerce, education, and dismantling racial segregation in the United States of America is critically important to me,” Mr. Flowers said. These 60-minute tours leave at 1:00pm and at 4:00pm on Saturday and at 4:00pm on Sunday. Tour groups meet on the sidewalk at the Maggie Walker National Historic Site, 2nd & E. Leigh Streets.

2^nd Street Festival 2019 Stage Schedule

(Subject to change)

WAVERLY R. CRAWLEY MAIN STAGE (sponsored by Virginia Union University)

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5

11:45 – 12:30pm                                 City of Richmond High School All-Star
12:50 – 1:50pm                                   Soul Unlimited Band
2:15 – 3:15pm                                     Christian “Big New York” de MeSones
3:45 – 4:45pm                                     DJ Drake
5:30 – 7:00pm                                     E.U.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6

1:00 – 1:30pm                                     Trinity Baptist Church Mass Choir
2:00 – 2:30pm                                     Virginia Union University Gospel Choir
2:50 – 3:00pm                                     We Remember – Dr. Rebertha Pope Matthews & Bill McGhee
3:25 – 4:25pm                                     Phillip “Doc” Martin
4:50 – 6:00pm                                     Legacy Band

JOE KENNEDY JR. JAZZ STAGE (sponsored by VPM PBS/NPR)

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5

12:00 – 12:50pm                                 Michelle Lightfoot Trio
1:10 – 2:00pm                                      Victor Haskins’ “Skein”
2:20 – 3:10pm                                      Quintessential Jazz
3:30 – 4:30pm                                      Curv Appeal
4:50 – 6:00pm                                      Nathan Mitchell

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6

Featuring M.A.A.M.                         (Musicians Ain’t Always Men)

1:00 – 1:50pm                                      Marsha Meekins & Company
2:10 – 3:10pm                                      Sharon Rae North
3:30 – 4:30pm                                     Lady E & The Blues Synsations
5:00 – 6:00pm                                     Debo Dabney & The Happy Band

NINA’S BISTRO STAGE

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5

12:30 – 1:00pm                                   Fitness Warriors
1:30 – 2:30pm                                     Hip Hop Karaoke
2:50 – 3:35pm                                    Rick Elliott
4:00 – 5:00pm                                    Drew Miles

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6

1:10 – 2:40pm                                     Inyan Gospel Choir/Henrico High School
2:10 – 2:40pm                                     D Kay Logan and Nu Beginning Choir
3:00 – 4:00pm                                    Guitarist Zack Artis
4:30 – 5:30pm                                    Tunji Band

EGGLESTON HOTEL COMMUNITY STAGE

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5

12:00 – 12:30pm                                 SPARC
1:00 – 1:30pm                                      Happiness Dance Studio
2:00 – 3:00pm                                     Carlos Viera “The Line Dance Prince”
3:30 – 3:50pm                                     Beats, Rhythm, Life
4:30 – 5:15pm                                     Salsa Dancers with Victor Haskins

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6

1:00 – 2:00pm                                     Zack Artis
2:30 – 3:00pm                                     Sixth Mt. Zion Music & Movement Baptist Church
3:30- 4:30pm                                      D & G Line Dancing
4:50 –5:30pm                                      Ephesus Drumline

Visit the 2^nd Street Festival’s website: https://venturerichmond.com/our-events/2nd-street-festival-2019

Visit the 2^nd Street Festival’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SecondStreetFestival/

2^nd Street Festival Sponsors

Produced by: Venture Richmond Events, LLC

Presented by: Altria, Dominion Energy, City of Richmond

Sponsored by: Virginia Union University, VPM PBS/NPR, E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, Radio One, NBC12 and CW Richmond, Virginia is for Music Lovers, Premium Distributors of Virginia

Special thanks to: Premier Bank, Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, City Parking, UNOS, Hippodrome Theater