“It’s a great chance to catch up with people you may not have seen in a while,” says Clyde Gaines, the longtime organizer of Next Level Park Street Music. “I am looking forward to great weather, great music, and great fellowship where people come together and feel good about being someplace and feel good about being in the moment with people that they care about … with new friends and old friends and friends that they’re going to meet at the event.”
The Park Street Music Fest, a one-of-a-kind free, one-day, outdoor live music event in South Madison featuring a diverse line-up of artists, will be held Saturday, Aug. 5, 3-8 p.m. at the Labor Temple grounds, 1602 S. Park St. The annual event brings together people from South Madison and beyond for a day of camaraderie, food, health screenings, and local music.
Gaines first started the Park Street Music Fest back in 2017 because he saw that the South Side of Madison rarely hosted these types of music events. Every August, the event highlights a cross-section of music genres featuring local and regional artists. This year’s Park Street Music Fest will feature Madison native Adem Tesfaye, an emcee/songwriter, Hip-hop guitarist, and music producer whose music style has deep roots in Hip-Hop, funk, reggae, and blues.
Other performers throughout the late afternoon and evening will include Protege the Pro, Rick Flowers & Amalgam X, and Orquesta Sal Soul De Mad. DJ Ace will perform between acts.
“We are going to have some of our favorites including DJ Ace (Vanessa McDowell), who everybody knows and loves. We have one of Madison’s favorites, Orquesta Sal Soul De Mad and Rick Flowers’s band has been a staple in Madison. We have Protege, a new young local rapper. We have a great lineup this year. We’re really looking forward to it,” Gaines says.
“When we first started this event, we were trying to provide a platform and opportunity for the community to come together to highlight the Park Street corridor, the gateway to Madison,” Gaines adds. “We just wanted to have a festive outing for young folks as well as their families to come in and enjoy good, live music, as well as good food and good fellowship on a nice, beautiful, sunny Saturday.”
The South Side of Madison is going through a revitalization right now and certainly looks different than it did when the Park Street Music Festival first started six years ago.
“I really love all of the things that are going on on Park Street right now. Park Street is the gateway to the city of Madison. You come right off the highway, and you hit Park Street and you can go anywhere in the city from that route,” Gaines says. “So we love to highlight this side of Madison and to show off all of the splendor South Madison has and be a part of the inclusiveness and diversity … this event represents that.”
Gaines is the founder of PeBoGa (People Building Opportunity through Grace and Action), a Madison-based non-profit with a seven-member board, that is doing the promotion for Park Street Music Festival, which prides itself on being one of the most diverse summer music festivals in Madison.
There will be a 5k run/walk and multiple health screenings available for eventgoers at the Music Fest.
“So we think that is a good opportunity for people to get out and meet some people and hear some great music but also be made aware of their health and what it means to be in tune with taking care of their bodies by providing medical components and physical activity components for both men and women,” Gaines says.
“We’re going to have a platinum producer named Greg Doby who will lead a workshop for youth on songwriting that will also be taking place on Saturday, as well,” Gaines adds. “We will have food trucks there. It’s going to be a fun time. There are a number of things I’m looking forward to with this event and I hope the greater community is, too.”
