Annual DreamFest set to bring musical diversity, community to three-day event at Overton Park
Music, community, and diversity will be the focus of the 11th edition of the annual DreamFest Weekend at Overton Park Shell this Friday through Sunday, July 22-24.
The event began in 2012, when local arts promoter Catherine Evans decided to bring together her favorite Memphis hip-hop and spoken word artists for her birthday celebration in mid-January. She expected to have five or ten people performing and maybe 30 or 40 friends attend the first edition of what would ultimately become DreamFest – but 500 turned up.
By the second year, a single show wasn't enough, and the event was expanded to two days. DreamFest became a perennial event coinciding with the national Civil Rights Day and Martin Luther King birthday celebrations.
DreamFest has evolved considerably since launching as Evans' birthday bash. Over the last decade the musical performances have grown into community building collaborations, and more recently DreamFest has shifted to a summer event.
This year, CLE Events has partnered with Memphis United for Fairness and Justice collaborative, the Official Black Lives Matter Memphis Chapter and Memphis Artists for Change to create three days of programming that will showcase a wide array of artists coming together “in pursuit of a common goal: the promotion of unity, collaboration and community.
“What we aim to do with the weekend is emphasize community, diversity, and unity,” said DreamFest founder Evans. “DreamFest was initially named for the fact that it was annually held during MLK weekend prior to the pandemic, but it also refers to the fact that we are all pursuing our dreams. And hopefully, DreamFest Weekend brings us closer to realizing them.”
This year’s DreamFest will be a three-part affair, starting on Friday night with “The Concert,” featuring a mi of artists from all genres. Hosted by Phatmak, among those set to perform are soul artist Singa B., neo-classical string group Ensemble X, and veteran rapper M.C. Mack.
Saturday night’s “GirlPower” lineup will spotlight female talent in Memphis. Hosted by B2Funny the evening will include performances by soul-trap rapper Spiffy Chiqk, urban artist Keesha Danielle, and jazz songstress Katrina Anderson.
Sunday’s DreamFest finale, “Loungin’ In the Park,” will highlight some of the veterans from Memphis Artistik Lounge scene. Hosted by P.A. Bomani, performers will include Son.person, Tamara Jones Monger, and the debut of the Freedom Singers, a community choir fellowship created to address and heal violence through community participation and singing.
For more information on DreamFest 11 go to dreamfestweekend.com
DreamFest Weekend 11 lineup
5 p.m. Friday through Sunday at the Overton Shell Park
The event is free. For more information go to dreamfestweekend.com
Friday
“The Concert”
Hosted by: Phatmak
DJ: Mante Carlo
A1 PaidBoi
Beretta Biz
Big Ricco and Ceo LilTino
Corey Lou & Da Village
Ensemble X
FOE
G Wiz and The Soular System
LE’ TOP
M.C. MACK
Phokused
Pro C
LéRoc
Singa B.
Soulful Skonie
Stringz EMB
Té Speakz
Young Soul
Yung Titan
Saturday
“GirlPower”
Hosted by: B2Funny
DJ: DJ Avious
Antina
D.Bland
GEMIN8
Miss Joyce
KayPRI
Keesha Danielle
Mo Money
Ms. J. Renia
Natalie Sun Frost
Pharaoh Uchiha
Queen THC
Ray Renay
Sexi Killa
Spiffy Chiqk
Dri Dimensional
Katrina Anderson
Zsa Davis
Sunday
“Lounging in the Park”
Hosted by: P.A. Bomani
DJ: Cody The Grand
Carla Barnes
Carmen Hicks
YungVeli
Devin Crutcher
Equoia Coleman
Franceschi
Freedom Singers
J. Buck
Mikey Christian
Ron James
Sauce Papi
Son.person
Tamara Jones Monger
PreacherMan
Virghost
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: DreamFest Weekend 2022 will feature musical diversity to Overton Park
