Fillmore Summer Fest Kick-Off: Grillin' in the 'MO

Grillin’ in the Mo’
Annual Fillmore Summer Fest Kick-Off

Saturday, June 7th

What: This year’s Grillin’ in the Mo’ will jump off with legendary blues singer Freddie Hughes (Bring My Baby Back) and the House of Hughes Band. The annual Fillmore Summer Fest Kick-Off is a free blues concert and family BBQ celebrating the start of summer events in the Fillmore District and summer enrichment programs for Western Addition youth. Bring your family, a big appetite, a blanket and prepare yourself for a day of community connectedness. Grab some food, fly a kite, make gigantic bubbles, and enjoy some blues with Freddie Hughes and jazz by Fillmore’s own, Bay Area Jazz Trio. Soulful hits will be spinning all day by DJ, Mr. “C”. Join our seniors with some line dancing, while the kids enjoy youth activities in our kid’s zone, i.e. face painting, free kites, jumpers, & bubbles. Grillin in the Mo’ is our Summer Fest Kick-Off, a day to spend with family & community.

When: Saturday, June 7, 2014; 12:00 Noon to 5 p.m.

Where: Hamilton Recreation Center, 1900 Geary @ Steiner

Cost: Free

Who: Fillmore’s Summer Fest Kick-Off, Grillin in the Mo’ is sponsored by The Village Project, in collaboration with the Bayview YMCA, Western Addition Family Resource Center, Bi-Rite Markets, The Fillmore Auditorium, Paragon Realty Group, Paragon Commercial Brokerage, San Francisco Rec & Park, Hamilton Recreation Center, More Than Magic/Mo’ Magic (Kids Zone), SF Black Leadership Forum & SOMARTS. This project is partially funded by the Dept. of Public Health. A special thanks to San Francisco Travel, Gussie’s Chicken & Waffles, San Francisco Black Film Festival, the NAACP, the African American Chamber of Commerce, Nia Soul.Com, the Fillmore Center, Westbay Conference Center, the Bayview Newspaper, Bumzy’s Cookies and the New Fillmore Newspaper for your continued support in helping us to build a stronger Fillmore! At this year’s celebration, we will honor both the SF Police and Fire Departments for their service to the Western Addition and annual participation in Grillin in the Mo’.

Adrian Williams is Executive Director and founder of the Village Project, a service organization focusing on education and cultural enrichment programs for youth and their families in the Western Addition. The Village Project organizes family events, including last year’s 7th annual Kwanzaa Celebration (Dec. 26 – Jan 1), “A Senior Moment – A Senior Prom for the 50+ and most recently, Mardi Gras San Francisco Style/ Fat Tuesday in the Fillmore held on February 11th. “In keeping with our mission of strengthening families and community, we will continue to partner and produce these quality events, which serve to connect the neighborhoods and families of San Francisco”, stated Ms. Williams.

Why: The Annual “Summer Fest Kick-Off jump starts a series of free summer concerts and festivals to be held in the historical Fillmore Jazz District, i.e., The San Francisco Black Film Festival (June 13 -16), Annual Juneteenth Celebration (June 14th), The Fillmore Jazz Festival (July 4-6), Salsa on the Fillmore (July 12th -13th) and the Fillmore’s annual Reggae Festival in September. More importantly, it has become an integral part of The Village Project’s summer enrichment camp, which provides a safe haven for youth to learn, grow and enjoy fun activities in a safe haven during the summer months.

NOTE: The Village Project will sponsor its 9th all day Summer Enrichment Camp, starting June 9th. The camp is free, and is located at St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church, 2097 Turk Street. For more information or to donate, visit http://www.thevillageprojectsf.org. The camp will run from June 9th – August 1st for youth 6 to 14 years old.

About the Bayview Y

The YMCA has long been at the forefront of providing quality, free or low-cost programming for youth and families. Their programs are run by caring, experienced staff with a focus on youth development principles: safety, relationship building, skill building, community involvement, and meaningful youth participation. The Bayview Hunters Point Y has been the co-sponsor for the San Francisco Kwanzaa Celebration, A Senior Moment & Grillin’ in the Mo’.

About WAFRC

The goals and objectives of the Western Addition Family Resource Center (WAFRC) are to provide services that empower families and build community. We provide services to many families involved with the Department of Human Services and aim to strengthen families’ capacities for healthy development and self-sufficiency. The
WAFRC has established a strong community presence which has translated into a multitude of families receiving services.

We need volunteers on the day of the event and donations. Please contact Adrian @ 415-424-2980 or visit our web site: http://www.thevillageprojectsf.org