CHERRY BLAST: A "We can do this" moment!
The Advoc8te attended Cherry Blast on Friday and it was the cherry hotness! On the walk over to the venue space, a raw warehouse on Shannon Place directly behind the Anacostia Business District you could see all of these people coming and going on the way to the space. They were excited, they were having fun and they were experiencing Anacostia - most likely for the first time.
The best part of every event is the people and the people definitely came out for Cherry Blast. What made this event so special was the amount of diversity in the very large crowd. There were a lot of young, hip and let's face it... a lot of non people of color - something that is a rarity (but is luckily changing) in Ward 8. It was easy to see that this really awesome event did something that so many people and establishments are currently trying to do in Anacostia and other River East communities - draw people over the bridge to a River East destination.
Cherry Blast was THE place to be Friday night. Not just in Anacostia but in other parts of the city and they came out and had a great time.
The event was well run, had a wonderful vibe, had great music and drinks aplenty (they were also giving away complimentary Red Bulls). There were dancers in body paint, vendors selling anime apparel and just a really great vibe all over. There were colored lights and images shown on the warehouse walls that highlighted the really edgy and cool graffiti .
Visually the space was a real impact to the senses. You really got the feeling that the warehouse could remain just like that and you would come back again and again for some great parties.
The Pink Line Project sponsored Cherry Blast and they did a phenomenal job! They definitely had a vision and took the time to make that vision become a reality. I highly recommend taking a visit over to the Pink Line Project website to check out upcoming events and to sign up for their email list.
From the Pink Line Project website:
The Pink Line Project supports outstanding artists who contribute to excellence in the arts in Washington, DC. Founded by Philippa P.B. Hughes [website], The Pink Line Project fosters intellectual and artistic innovation through programs and events that are fueled by the transformative power of art.
The Pink Line Project supports outstanding artists who contribute to excellence in the arts in Washington, DC. Founded by Philippa P.B. Hughes [website], The Pink Line Project fosters intellectual and artistic innovation through programs and events that are fueled by the transformative power of art.
We need more innovative, forward thinking ideas like this in River East. Everyone I spoke to on Friday night was excited by the Cherry Blast event and would absolutely love it if something like that became a permanent fixture in River East.
I've said it before and I say it again. River East is fast becoming the new hip place to live for the young urban professional. It's a little raw but you can't ignore the potential.
For more on Cherry Blast visit: