Charlottesville, VA (February 2, 2018) — Tom Tom Founders Festival has announced the music lineup for the seventh annual Tom Tom Founders Festival block parties. The series of free concerts will span three days and feature rock, pop, indie, psychedelic, bluegrass, funk, jazz, soul, and ethnic genres. The concerts will take place Friday April 13 – Sunday April 15 in Emancipation Park in downtown Charlottesville.
“Every year the block parties just get bigger and better, and because of the tremendous support from the community, that they are able to remain free and accessible to the entire community,” said Paul Beyer, Founder and Director of Tom Tom. “It has become the can’t-miss event of the season for people here in Charlottesville because it celebrates everything we love about this community: innovation, creativity, and having a great time with our friends and neighbors.”
The concerts are presented by New Belgium Brewing Company, alongside community supporters such as Ting, WillowTree, Champion Brewing Company, the i.Lab at UVA, GovSmart, R.L. Beyer Custom Homes, Tom Daly Photography, and Wild Wolf Brewing Company.
Music:
Friday
Buddha Council – Reggae band from Virginia Beach, Virginia
Amasa Hines – Rock band from Little Rock, Arkansas
The Broadcast – Soulful Rock band from New York City, New York
Mates of State – Minimal Pop duo from Connecticut
Saturday
Front Porch Jam – Bluegrass band from Charlottesville, Virginia
SixFoxWhiskey – Folk band from Boston, Massachusetts
Becca Mancari – Acoustic Rock singer from Nashville, Tennessee.
The National Reserve – Rock band from Brooklyn, New York
The Skins – Pop band from New York City, New York
The Stone Foxes – Rock band from San Francisco, California
Elby Brass – Brass band from Fredericksburg, Virginia
Sunday
Koda and the Drunken Allstars – Bluegrass band from Charlottesville, Virginia
Adar – Rock band from Charlottesville, Virginia
Darrell Rose Power Trio – Afrikaan band from Charlottesville, Virginia
Kendall Street company – Funk band from Charlottesville, Virginia
Read the full bios for each band and see the schedule at: https://tomtomfest.com/block-parties/
In addition to free concerts, the Friday Night Block Party will feature a craft beer garden and a food truck rally.
Food Trucks – All Weekend
Partnering with dozens of local and regional food trucks, our Block Parties showcase premiere faire at the Food Truck Rally. This year we will feature a dozen vendors serving everything from tacos to BBQ and vegan bowls to pizza. More information at: https://tomtomfest.com/food-trucks/
Craft Beer Garden – All Weekend
The parties will feature the New Belgium Craft Beer Garden, serving seasonal brews from New Belgium Brewing and local favorites Wild Wolf Brewing Company, and Champion Brewing Company. We will also be serving local Virginia wines and specialty cocktails with Belle Isle craft spirits.
Tech Mixer – Friday – April 13th
Companies of all stages will mix with investors, entrepreneurs, and top talent from across the Mid-Atlantic. This outdoor pop-up innovation district in the heart of the Block Party and in the midst of a crowd of 5,000 attendees will showcase new technologies, connect national leaders in diverse industries, and introduce recruiters from the hottest firms to local job seekers. Companies can apply to exhibit and professionals can submit a resume at: https://tomtomfest.com/techmixer/.
Artisanal Tom Tom – Saturday April 14th – Sunday April 15th
An open-air market and showcase for local and regional creativity, ranging from upcycled furniture, artisanal food goods, to handmade toys, crafts, and original works of fine art. The deadline to apply to be a vendor is March 2: https://tomtomfest.com/artisanal-tomtom/
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ABOUT THE TOM TOM FOUNDATION
The Tom Tom Foundation is a nonprofit organization that celebrates entrepreneurship, culture, and innovation in small cities. Tom Tom’s signature event is a weeklong Founders Festival that takes place in Charlottesville, Va, each April in conjunction with Thomas Jefferson’s birthday. This cross discipline, multi-venue experience transforms the historic downtown and empowers entrepreneurs, innovators, and civic leaders who are defining the future. Since its inception in 2012, the Foundation’s programming has showcased thousands of speakers, artists, and bands to 186,000 program attendees, and has channeled $2.9 million to new ventures and projects. Learn more: www.tomtomfest.com
SPONSORS
The Tom Tom Founders Festival is presented with the generous support of the University of Virginia, American Evolution, the Quantitative Foundation, and the Virginia Tourism Corporation.