A sweaty dance party in a car wash. A tribute to Chicago house music hosted inside an auto body garage. A for a raucous hip-hop show.
For over a decade, Said Yassin has been throwing concerts and parties in strange and unconventional spaces across Toronto. “I think it’s better for the city when there’s a ton of cool, independent things happening, versus everything being tied to these big organizations,” said Yassin, the founder and artistic director of , a Black-led, multidisciplinary arts space on Queen Street West. “And like, no shade to Embrace or Live Nation, but it’s more interesting when things are put on by the community.
” That DIY spirit is the animating force behind a music festival taking over Trillium Park for a second year on Aug. 24 and 25. Curated by Yassin as part of Trillium’s SummerSeries, the free festival will feature performances from international acts like and , alongside a long list of homegrown talent.
“Honestly, there aren’t a lot of music festivals in the city that cater to the R&B scene or the Black community,” said Zenesoul, a Juno-nominated singer-songwriter from Toronto who will perform on the first day of the festival. “These events are really important because they shine a light on artists who don’t usually get these kinds of festival opportunities alongside international acts ..
. They allow other people to see us, and they help us to build our community and network.” Founded in 2018 by Yassin and Alicia Bee, It’s .