The 24th annual Hot Corner Celebration and Soul Food Festival will take place on the historic Hot Corner block of downtown Athens this weekend June 6–8. Presented by the Hot Corner Association, each year the festival provides an opportunity to honor Black business leaders of the past and encourage those of the present while also celebrating the various aspects of Black culture and community.
The Hot Corner Association is a nonprofit organization with the primary mission of preserving the history of Hot Corner, a district of downtown that was the heart of Black commerce in the early 20th century. The festival keeps this history alive and commemorates Black culture through a variety of informational initiatives, musical performances, local art, kids activities, soul food and more.
This year’s kick-off event on Thursday, June 6 is an invitation-only festival participant reception, but its featured guests are esteemed creatives and business owners whose public work uplifts the community. They include Squallé (Torrance Wilcher), co-founder of youth organization The League of Step; Broderick Flanigan, painter and muralist; Marcel Mincey of the youth education nonprofit MEU Radio; Blacknerdninja (Eugene Willis), co-founder of CreativeSpace; and Mikhayla Robinson Smith, Athens’ current poet laureate.
On Friday evening from 7–8:30 p.m. a gospel program will take place at First AME Church on Hull Street. There will be performances by Gospel Royalairs of Commerce, JC & The Hartwellaires Gospel Group, Marcus Brown & The Chorale, Morton Chapel Baptist Church, Mount Pleasant Male Chorus and New Salem.
The grand all-day celebration will take over the corner of Washington and Hull streets on Saturday from 11 a.m.–10 p.m. In block party-style fashion, attendees can browse a variety of local vendors and information booths, enjoy barbecue and soul food, check out a car show and cheer on community leadership award recipients. The main stage anchors the event in front of the Morton Theatre, with a variety of gospel singers, dancers, poets, R&B artists, jazz bands, rappers and more performing from opening to close.
After an opening reception and devotion, encouraging communion and an opportunity for worship, the first half of the day’s lineup from 12:15–3:15 p.m. primarily features gospel singers. This element of the festival is unique among Athens’ other public events, and it showcases musicians who often do not perform downtown. Rashard Stovall, who performs as I Am God’s Child, says that Hot Corner plays an important role in the downtown music scene and performing means a lot to him because it’s a great way to be heard and connect with a lot of people.
“It gives artists like myself and so many others a platform to get God’s word out to a community of people in the form of music,” says Stovall. “My memories of Hot Corner are just seeing so many different people come out to support: The vendors, the youth that are up and coming who are so talented, and once again all the great artists who come out each year to perform and display their gifts.”
No stranger to the local music scene, but performing at Hot Corner for the first time this year, is hip-hop artist Frank the Eagle. Businesses in this downtown district have long been a part of his life, and the festival has had a meaningful impact in his life far beyond the music.
“Hot Corner is a cultural landmark for businesses and artists, especially in our urban community. I’ve been getting my haircut at Brown’s since I was three; it was the first haircut I got. I respect Brown and [Homer] Wilson for all they’ve done for me,” says Frank. “It’s just a great place to be. I met the woman I love there, so it definitely means alot to me.”
For the full schedule of events on Saturday, see below. For any updates or more information, visit facebook.com/HotCornerORG.
WHO: Hot Corner Festival
WHEN: Saturday, June 8, 11 a.m.–10 p.m.
WHERE: Downtown Athens
HOW MUCH: FREE!
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