Joann Stevens, TPMS Board Member
Community spirit was aglow in the Riggs Park and Manor Park neighborhoods September 24 at Art All Night festival events organized by The Parks Main Street.
Some 20 performing artists and vendors joined The Parks Main Street (TPMS) Executive Director Edwin D. Washington to bring local business owners and neighbors together.
All events were free. TPMS board members hosted and emceed venues. Shopping was welcomed at TPMS food and retail stores. But even TPMS service businesses had owners on hand to offer residents goodwill and/or their parking lots as stages.
Troka Insurance parking lot was the art activation venue where aerialist and Riggs Park resident Jordan Seitz performed. Guitarist & singing sensation Jonathan Acosta and DJ Arturo provided Latin inspired music at this location sponsored by Washington Digital Media.
At the strip mall on Riggs Road and Chillum Street, distillery distributors collaborating with Riggs Liquors owner John Yoo offered free samples of spirits such as Panamanian Rum, $75 a bottle Tequila, and the first American craft gin manufactured in the U.S. Riggs Wine & Liquor sponsored this art activation that featured Asian performers
“I appreciate you all are doing this,” said a woman happily sipping a sample. “I frequent all of these businesses here.”
Paul and Joolee Kim, owners of Riggs Cleaners, stayed open to meet people. Kim and his wife acquired the business October 2019 after losing the building lease for a cleaner’s the couple had owned nine years in Maryland. Then the pandemic hit. TPMS quickly became a lifeline. Riggs Cleaners was a finalist during the 2021 City Paper Best Of DC voting for best dry cleaners in the DMV!
“Edwin Washington gave me encouragement to survive and to continue,” Kim said.. “ He came around often to ask, ‘how is it going?’” and helped Kim apply for TPMS Small Business Grants. More importantly, Kim said TPMS provided community connections. “Money is important, but meeting people and establishing relationships are the most important,” he said.
Community engagement was evident as people of all ages, races, and backgrounds grooved to artists as diverse as a 12-year-old jazz harpist or oohed and ahhhed over the antics of a fire dancer, height-defying aerialist, spoken word artist, and humorists portraying television comedians.
The diversity of TPMS programming and businesses was reflected in music that ranged from Jazz, Hip Hop, Soul, and Venezuelan rhythms to a Chinese Zither performer and a Mandolin player. Fine arts painters Tarika Campbell and “Quan” displayed their paintings while J’Nell Jordan captured the music, art and community vibrancy of the art activation venue in front of Culture Coffee Too! Ms Jordan provided her presented her completed creation to TPMS.
Rounding out the four Riggs Park art activation venues was Hellbender Brewery. Hellbender held an Open-Mic competition with a $100 cash prize for the winner, $60 for 2nd place and $40 for 3rd place provided by TPMS. Community judges and attendees voted for over 15 performers. Cassidy Marie was the 1st place winner with Steve Scarano and Nate Bergman 2nd and 3rd respectively.
To kick off the activities in the Manor Park neighborhood, young ballerinas from the Davis Center (dance studio) performed in front new business The Learning Curve (TLC) located at the corner of 3rd and Sheridan Streets NW. This art activation venue, co-sponsored by Peaches Kitchen Restaurant and Senbeb Café, highlighted other youth performers like tween musician Sarah Ransom who captivated the audience as she performed on the flute, harp and tenor steel pan. Sarah also plays piano, guitar, and ukulele said her mother Robin.
Drawn to the harp after seeing a cartoon character play harp, “We started her with a tiny harp and she kept improving,” said Robin. On November 13, Sarah will perform in concert at the Potter’s Mansion to raise funds towards buying a full-size harp. “She wants to raise the money herself.”
Asked if Sarah planned to become a professional musician, her mother explained that her daughter’s “real arts passion” is ballet. “She’s taking ballet at the Kirov Academy. She loves music, but like most children doesn’t like to practice. She says she wants to become a judge.”
High stepping models strutted a live fashion show in front of Lovely Lady Boutique, Quintessence Health & Wellness, and The V.I.P Room who sponsored this art activation venue in their parking lot at 3rd & Rittenhouse Streets NW. Performing at this location was jazz saxophonist Sharon Thomas of the Sharon Thomas Experience and DJ Superstar J.R. (John Richardson). Jordan Seitz who performed an aerial act in Riggs Park performed as a fire dancer at this Manor Park location. By the way, Jordan was a brunette while performing in Riggs Park but chose to be a blonde while lighting up the night with fire in Manor Park.
Customers wandered in and out of Bene Millinery owned by 102-year-old icon “DC Hat Lady” Virginia Powell Beane who was in attendance to welcome her many well-wishers while posing for photos. Senbeb Café (vegan)/vegetarian) , and Peaches Kitchen Restaurant (Jamaican and American cuisine) handed out food samples and made sales and receive new customers. Both food establishments are not open after 7pm during the week but stayed open to welcome attendees during the 7pm – 11pm festival hours. Art, clothing, candles, baked goods, and DC Maker vendors lined 3rd street. OneLife Fitness (opening in early 2022) located in the Riggs Park and Lamond-Riggs neighborhoods near Fort Totten metro greeted Manor Park residents encouraging them to considering joining. A lively yet peaceful vibe was everywhere.
The Art All Night festival is offered annually (10th year) with support from the D.C. Commission on the Arts & Humanities (CAH) and the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD). Also providing financial support to TPMS was EYA developers of Riggs Park Place. This year’s festival was the first live event since the Covid-19 pandemic forced shutdowns. The Parks Main Street looks forward to an even bigger festival in 2022! The city’s message was #DCISOpen.
