BETHLEHEM, Pa. —Organizers of a new art and music festival aim to highlight the talents of Black and Latino artists.
Rebel Fest will take place from noon to 10 p.m. July 15 at Daniel E. Rice Memorial Plaza, 123 W. Lehigh St.
- Rebel Festival will feature local R&B and hip-hop artists
- The event will take place from noon to 10 p.m. at the Daniel E. Rice Memorial in Bethlehem
- Entry is free
'Renaissance of Creativity'
The event is organized by Amber Robinson and Laura and Denzel Rodriguez, owners of the production company, Rebellious, and the nonprofit, Rebellious Dreams Fund.
They established the nonprofit to shed light on local women and minority-led artists and musicians.
"The Lehigh Valley and Pocono areas are in the middle of a renaissance of creativity," Rebellious' Executive Director Denzel Rodriguez said. "We have a network of artists who work hard at what they do and we just want to give them a platform to present their art to a large audience."
"Simultaneously, we're bringing the community together through music and art," said Laura Rodriguez, Denzel's mother and president of the Dreams Fun. "The committee and the board is primarily Black female led and Rebellious Dreams Fund is a Black and Latin founded organization,"
Neo-funk and R&B
Denzel, or 'Zel,will perform some of his new R&B songs at the event.
Joining him are a mix of hip-hop and neo-funk artists such as Sebastian Mikael, Flwr Chyld, Sunnie, Vincena, Maxamilly, Bekah Elaine, Shadwrotetha, Melladi, Sol Katana, ROZSE, Shalmaneik and Mac Vill and LA.
DJ Bez Musiq from Loud Radio, 106.9 FM/99.5 FM, and DJ Summer Nights will spin a mix of Afrobeat, house music and Top 40 chart toppers.
The Lehigh Valley and Pocono areas are in the middle of a renaissance of creativity. We have a network of artists who work hard at what they do and we just want to give them a platform to present their art to a large audience."Denzel Rodriguez, executive director of Rebellious Dreams Fund
Fun for all ages
Along with the tunes, there will be an artist section with vendors selling paintings, photographs, and other works curated by Create and Be Studio in Stroudsburg.
In addition, there will be a paint-by-numbers craft session for children and adults, plus a festival "playground" that will feature arcade games, free throw basketball, a Giant Connect 4 setup, and selfie stations.
Some of the food vendors confirmed are Mamasons Cheesesteak Hut, Grubnight Food Truck, and Carinderia on Wheels, and Warriors Pizza.
