By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times
Birmingham’s lively month of activities – Pride Festivities, MLB at Rickwood – continue on Friday with the Anything But Ordinary Fest also known as ABOFest at WorkPlay from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
The festival in collaboration with Sloss Tech – coming to Birmingham for the first time – aims to be a catalyst for community engagement and cultural celebration with a focus on indie musicians and local artistry.
Performances will be held across two stages – the Main Theatre Stage and the Canteen Stage – featuring a lineup including Domani, son of legendary rapper T.I., and Nickelus F, known not only for his solo work but also for his collaborations with major artists and contributing to some of Drake’s early hits.
The inspiration for the festival came last year after the success of “Something In The Water,” a three-day, Virgina-based music festival spearheaded by music superstar Pharrell Williams.
“So last year we threw a festival … and put 50 different Virginia artists on stage. We kind of wanted to evolve and separate and build the brand on our own,” said Will Keck, one of the organizers and owner of theMSQshop, a Virginia-based group launched in 2021 that specializes in creative project management, branding, graphic design, videography, and events.
Keck said he kept asking, “How do we make the [festival] more impactful? How do we make it more community driven and how do we combine the best of indy and local talent with national talent? That’s where we are now, and this is just a part of our long-term plan to grow it even bigger.“
The festival will have a twist thanks to the multi-talented Carey Fountain, creator of Vibes and Virtue, an interactive conversation-based puzzle game for families, couples on date nights, and guests.
After entering, participants will receive a puzzle piece card and tokens. Throughout the evening, they’ll interact with fellow attendees to guess their answers to questions, earning puzzle pieces along the way. Those who successfully complete their puzzle pieces and aid in revealing the final image, can win up to $100 in redeemable credits at the Vibes & Virtues store. This encourages festival-goers to connect, explore, and dive into conversations, enhancing the overall festival experience.
ABOFest will celebrate the city’s creative spirit and highlight local talent aim to enrich Birmingham’s cultural landscape. Performers include Gina Tollese, DJ New Era, Chaz French, and others.
For tickets visit seetickets.us/abofest and follow ABO’s Facebook event page for regular updates and exclusive content.
