Spice Festival, giving local businesses and artists a platform
DELAWARE – The second annual Spice Festival in Delaware is quickly approaching, and this year we’re told it’s bigger and better, providing event-goers with a weekend of fun on August 24th and 25th.
The festival features local vendors, food, and music artists. This family-friendly event also has a dedicated kid zone, local brews and cocktails, food trucks, and even food Competitions.
Organizer Billy Rife tells us, he first created this festival to combine his love of food and music, while also supporting small businesses and donating to a cause he’s passionate about. “I just want to help everybody out that I can. So helping out the small businesses, it just builds more of a community for everybody,” says Rife.
“The major thing with me is that we’re donating all of the profits to charity. I’m donating it for mental health awareness to ‘SL 24 Unlocke the Light‘ and they just help out with depression and things like that with our youth.” Rife explains that this foundation’s overall mission aligns with his, as he too believes in the importance of caring for one’s mental health. By putting on this event, the overall mission reaches a broader audience who are being entertained while positively impacting their mental health.
Rife also tells us he’s excited to give a platform for local artists, such as local rapper Pat Haass. Haass grew up in Kent County, DE, and says it’s his community, family, and friends that have inspired him the most.
While Delmarva has historically been a smaller pool of talent to come from, the ones that have made it big, we’re told have motivated Haass to do the same and this festival is another opportunity to showcase the talent Delaware has to offer.
A motto Haass tells us he lives by as he prepares for his performance, ‘The most liberating thing you can do is be Yourself,’ which ties into the charity he’s also excited to support. “SL 24, I mean that’s right up my alley, we’re helping kids with suicide and depression, high school college-aged kids, giving them the resources they need so the next generation doesn’t have to go through that.” He adds, “Here’s all the things I’ve written about — everywhere we’re from and little nuances and Easter eggs and things like that. My music will always be geared towards the Eastern shore, I mean it’s home.”
Now originally the event was in Felton, but due to unforeseen circumstances, the location has been moved to JAKL Beer Works in Middletown.
The festival is from 12 to 9 p.m. both days, tickets are ten dollars for one day, and 20 dollars for the whole weekend, and kids are free. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit their website, and also stay up to date by visiting their Facebook page.
