Art All Night: The Art of Chocolate City
Congress Heights is where Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenues meet and is the heart of DC’s city soul. It is vibrant, full of character and full of plentiful life.
Founded in 1890, community roots run deep here. The South East neighborhood nurtures and celebrates its vibrant African American heritage and culture with pride. Home to many locally grown artist, Congress Heights is rapidly gaining recognition as the center for African American art culture and entrepreneurship in DC.
Described as “big-hearted,” the hometown energy that makes this locale so distinct is built on its support for local arts and entrepreneurs; focus on empowering youth; and honoring the elders of the community.
Welcoming visitors and new neighbors, Congress Heights is committed to the kind of growth that strengthens community connections and fuels opportunities for all residents.
Welcome to the Soul of the City – Congress Heights.
Art All Night: The Art of Chocolate City
Saturday, September 29, 2018 starting at 7:00 PM and running until 3:00 AM the following morning, Congress Heights’ presents Art All Night: The Art of Chocolate City, a free arts festival curated by Destination Congress Heights. The festival celebrates the artistic richness that has emerged from this neighborhood that is vibrant, lively and full of character. It is an unprecedented gathering of Chocolate City artists who represent some of DC’s greatest artists and the festival highlights the profound artistic breadth and cultural influences of Chocolate City artists.
With more than 25 events, demonstrations, and installations – all free – the scope and vibrancy of the Congress Heights’ culture comes alive through music, dance, film, fashion, and design.
So drive, walk, ride, hop or skip to the Congress Heights neighborhood which is east of the Anacostia River to experience all forms of visual and performing arts; aiming to take you on a journey through Sound, Movement, Magic, Brilliance, Taste and Calor.
From traditional to contemporary and from gospel to Hip Hop, All Night – the Chocolate City Edition is bound to dazzle and delight with the vividness of its artists’ imaginations. Indulge yourself in its abundant pleasures – you will be inspired!
The term Chocolate City has historical significance in Washington, DC. Coined in the 1970’s by local radio personalities and made popular by the funk band Parliament, the term did not solely indicate the color of the population but also the vibrant communities and cultural pride among its residents. For Deejay Bobby “The Mighty Burner” Bennett, Chocolate City “was the expression of DC’s classy funk and confident Blackness;” it was about being Black, proud, and in power. Not only were Black people the majority, but they also had strength within the city through politics, business ownership, music, and culture. Now, during a time of dramatic demographic and cultural shifts, Congress Heights’ Chocolate City Edition of Art All Night will explore the legacy of and continual contributions to the nation’s capital.
On September 29th 2018 the Congress Heights neighborhood will come alive, so you better be here.
#Chocolate City Check-in
Make either Check-In your first pit stop on your way to a fun filled evening. Here you will receive a special gift and glow-in-the-dark wrist band signaling that you have checked-in at the festival. You will also receive a map of the corridor and a brochure/Tri-fold with much more details about each venue.
Public Notice:
For all our patrons, staff, dedicated community volunteers and sponsors; Destination Congress Heights would like to say thank you as we anticipate this spectacular event.
For Our Patrons please pay special attention to this event guide which will maximize your fun and safety:
1. All participating Art All Night venues will be highlighted by colorful up-lights at the main entrances.
2. There is an Information booth/ Check-in location for this event. Click thumbnail below for more information on our check-in location.
3. On-Street parking will be available; however, pay close attention to parking signs.
4. Do not drink and drive – Drive carefully and look out for pedestrians- young, old, big and small.
5. Utilize public transportation – Nearest metro stop is the Congress Heights Metro. DCH will provide Shuttle bus services to and from the main check-in location at 15 – 20min intervals.
6. Bring your most positive vibe.
Destination Congress Heights is a community where people live, work, worship, shop, and play. On this eventful day we will be promoting safe and organized entertainment.
Events
FAMILY FUN: River Tribe -Kids Zone
FAMILY FUN
River Tribe -Kids Zone
Play In ART ALL NIGHT
- Old Congress Height School
- 3100 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE
Washington, DC 20032
- 4pm to 8pm
The Kids Art Zone is open to the public for young people and their important adults to spend quality time together where all kids have free time to explore their interests in the arts. Culinary Food Is Art, paint, finger paint, drawing materials and an exciting variety of collage and assemblage materials are available to explore. Professional Artist provides support and presents several project choices and a variety of methods and materials. Stimulate creative imagination creating face paint designs, creating murals, playing sous chef, creating art with food, painting clothing, dance, signing and making music. Wear your painting clothes and be prepared for an especially fun time. FREE!
Feature Artist include:
- PAULETTE’S DESIGNS
- AZIYARH THE POET
- ROOTS FOR LIFE
- ARTIST CHRIS PYRATE
- ARTIST KHALIQ CROSBY
Horsepower Art Custom Truck Car & Bike Art
Horsepower Art
Custom Truck Car & Bike Art
Old Congress Height School
- 3100 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE
- Washington, DC 20032
- 4pm to 7pm
Indulge in custom trucks cars and motorcycles that are an aesthetic cultural Chocolate City expression of ideas and emotions, with a language of shapes, lines, colors, tones, and textures that speaks volumes. FREE!
- Sound Show
- Prizes: Best In Show Truck Car & Best In Show Bike
- Featured Designers: Bagger Boyz and Street Game Performance & Customs
Feature Designers include: Bagger Boyz & Street Game Performance & Customs
Zulu Tribe Mixing Pot Visual and Performing Arts Experience
Zulu Tribe Mixing Pot
Visual and Performing Arts Experience
- Congress Heights Arts & Culture Center
- 3200 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE
Washington, DC 20032
7pm – 3am
The Mixing Pot venue is hosted by the Congress Heights Arts & Culture Center. Leave all your expectations at home and come be amazed by the work of artists; while enjoying a mixture of musical genres. There will be a myriad of art work on display, with some on sale.
The venue will also host young entrepreneurs who wish to showcase their art, and help them to share their talents to with D.C. art lovers.
Main Activities and Performers:
- Family-Friendly Silent Disco session
- Mature-Friendly Silent Disco session
- Live Artist “Callaloo”
- Henna Artist drawing
- Face Painting
- Live Painting
- Live Music Pinky KillaCorn, Hip-Hop artist, rapper, song writer, and entertainer
MUSIC Border Tribe Stage Hip-Hop Day Party
MUSIC
Border Tribe Stage
Hip-Hop Day Party
UPO Petey Greene Community Center
2907 Martin Luther King Jr Ave. SE Washington, DC 20032
4pm to 7pm
Experience the Art of DC’s Hip-Hop cultural movement art form – the art, fashion and musical style incorporating rhythmic and/or rhyming speech that became movement and lasting and influential art form. Indulge in the complex hip-hop culture comprising of turn tabling, rapping, graffiti painting, and “B-boying,” which encompasses hip-hop dance, style, and attitude, along with virile body language and postural semantics. FREE!
Feature Artist include:
4:00 pm – DJ Jay Cee Da’Rippa
4:15 pm – Jae Alexander
4:30 pm – Janae Music
4:45 pm – DJ Domo
5:00 pm – Beau Young Prince
5:15 pm – DJ Domo
5:30 pm – DB Bantino
6:00 pm – DJ Jay Cee Da’Rippa
6:10 pm – EddieTheArtist
6:35 pm – DJ Jay Cee Da’Rippa
6:45 pm – 7:15 pm – JusPaul
Mining Tribe Stage Art of Movement Silent Disco & Art of the Cigar
Mining Tribe Stage
Art of Movement
Silent Disco & Art of the Cigar
Shepherd Park- on the corner MLK, Jr Ave & Malcolm X Ave, SEWashington, DC 20032
7pm-Midnight
Indulge in the powerful artist impulse of dance and express yourself under the stars while tuning into multiple live music options at once … this disco lighted park atmosphere will instantly transform into a high energy musical performance rocking to the beat and sounds of 90’s R&B & HIP HOP, REGGAE, TODAYS HIP MUSIC… with exposure to the Art of the Cigar from RichKat Mobile Cigar Lounge …Turn up … Shhhhh…it’s LIT
Feature Artist include:
DJ Kisha
RichKat Mobile Cigars
Panther Stage Chocolate City Threauxdown & Midnight Brunch Live Mix Tape
Panther Stage
Chocolate City Threauxdown
& Midnight Brunch Live Mix Tape
Congress Heights Plaza
3109 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE & 5th Street SE
7pm to 3am
The Congress Heights’ Chocolate City Art All Night Threauxdown will celebrate the rich cultural and musical traditions of DC. Come eat, drink, dance, and mingle with other Art All Night fans from across the DMV and enjoy a Live Art to Reggae to Funk to RNB to Go-Go to Hip-Hop Experience.
Feature Artist include:
DJs Bimshire and Maga
7:15 pm – Reggae All-Stars Ras Slick & the Dutty Bus Crew
8:30 – Mousey Thompson – The James Brown Experience
9:45 pm – Queens of Go Go – Bela Dona
11:00 pm Black Alley
Midnight – Midnight Brunch & The Live Mixtape – (Chocolate City Edition)
12:45 am – 3:00 am – DJ Maga – Afro Soca Love
Maasai Tribe Stage Street Artists Live Mix Tape
Maasai Tribe Stage
Street Artists Live Mix Tape
421 Alabama Ave SE
7pm – 11pm
In celebration of DC’s great Shirley Horn, Chuck Brown, Marvin Gaye and Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington Congress Heights (The Soul of the City) is bringing politically engaged music back to the mainstream with this stage – The Live Street Artist Mixtape [Chocolate City VIBRANIUM Edition], a groundbreaking Art All Night event that explores the relationship between arts and activism through the vibrant language of Jazz and Hip Hop featuring some of DC’s finest artist.
Visit some of Chocolate City’s talented street artists freestyle Djaying, dancing, rapping in a circle sharing knowledge and stories improvised in the moment. This is a place to speak one’s truth, to share stories and speak on life’s challenges in a positive, supportive artistic environment.
Feature Artist include:
DJ Prince
Seth Washington
Indira
Kb Michealz
Poet Cypher featuring: AziyrahThePoet; Poet Riel; Poet Antwan Brown & AQuest
Queen P
Jus Paul
GOSPEL FASHION & DANCE War Dogs Tribe Stage Gospel, Fashion & Dance
GOSPEL FASHION & DANCE
War Dogs Tribe Stage
Gospel, Fashion & Dance
“The Infinity War on Fashion: When Fashion Danced”
Corner of Ester Place and Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE
7PM to Midnight
With a dynamic display of garments, dance, spirituals, and live watercolor sketches, the exhibition “The Infinity War on Fashion: When Fashion Danced”, lives up to its name and typifies a prime example of fashion, dance and gospel as performance art.
Experience the art of fashion and dance experience curated by Alexi Foo and Tyrell Garner – the powerful impulse and movement will be channeled by skillful designers and performers into something that becomes intensely expressive and that will delight spectators who will feel inspiration to dance themselves.
Feature Artist include:
Elmohn Platinum & Rush Dancers
Praise Dancer Kitiya Pendarvis
WeAreZamar
Community of Hope Praise Choir
Designer Ms. Paulette
Designer Denonte Hancock
Designer William Harris
Designer Jamal Harris
Designer Orlando Ortiz
Designer Latonya Doley
Designer Ebony Kirby
CUISINE Jabari Tribe Feast Art of Cuisine Experience
CUISINE
Jabari Tribe Feast
Art of Cuisine Experience
Democracy Prep Auditorium
- 3100 Martin Luther King Jr Ave, SE Washington, DC 20032
- 6pm-11pm
Healthy cuisine is Art. Experience a fusion of healthy African, Caribbean & Soul cuisine of the diaspora through live demonstrations, free samples and hands on opportunities to make your own artistic expression with food. In this Soul of the City Pop-Up kitchen, you can experience combining your own vibrant plate, seeded in African, Caribbean and African American culture and cuisine ingredients, with modern flavors and textures, to create a healthy, memorable and smart dish. We will celebrate the rich cultural and cuisine traditions of DC. Come eat, drink, and mingle with other Art All Night fans from across the DMV and enjoy a hands on foodie Art Experience. Free Samples provided.
Feature Artist include:
District Chop Bar chefs Margaret Kamara and Solomon Oli Co-Owners
Open Arms Catering chef Michelle Branch
Julian Can Cook
Good Foods Market
Soilful Pippin Sauce
Plum Good chef Angela Chester-Johnson
Food for The Soul DC chef Jwanza Zulu
INSTALLATIONS Live Visual Artist Live Pieces To Masterpieces
INSTALLATIONS
Live Visual Artist
Live Pieces To Masterpieces
Various Locations Throughout
The Festival’s Venues
6pm-Midnight
Perhaps the important emerging Chocolate City artist from DC and who work across media will be presence creating live pieces to masterpieces. Don’t miss a unique opportunity to watch young master artists exercise their creativity and painting skills on canvas and other objects, accompanied by musicians Beau Young Prince, DB Bantino, Jus Paul, Mousey Thompson, Bela Dona and Black Alley. Visit the Art Garden.
Feature Artist include:
Nabeeh Bial
Khaliq Crosby
Erik Holden
Ebony Kirby
Chris Pyrate
Emma Quander
Antwanyce Richardson
Luther Wright
Edmond Wilson
Darus Hill
Domonique Mobley
FILM Soul of the City Films
FILM
Soul of the City Films
Old Congress Heights School
3100 Martin Luther King Jr Ave, SE
Washington, DC 20032
8pm-11pm
View animation and short documentaries that celebrate the rich cultural and cinematography traditions of DC and express the deep emotion, mind, character, thoughts and feelings of Chocolate City artists. This venue showcases quality short film and animation content by and about people of African descent. It supports emerging artists to foster a wider range of images, stories and storytellers represented in the DC entertainment industry. Destination Congress Heights is committed to the belief that Black artists deserve the same opportunities as their mainstream counterparts, and its mission is to be recognized as a vital pipeline for Black talent in front of and behind the camera.
Feature Artist include:
CreativeJunkFood
Made In DMV
