The Heart of the City (HOTC) Festival made its return to Rahway, New Jersey at the Hamilton Stage, on August 3rd, celebrating its fourth year of bringing together the culture of the community. This year’s festival, themed “Optimism,” featured live performances, a vendor market of Black and Brown-owned businesses, and family-friendly activities.
HOTC Celebrating New Jersey’s Unique Culture
Parisse Dawkins, the founder and organizer of HOTC, shared her inspiration behind the festival.
“I started Heart of the City because I saw an opportunity to highlight Black and Brown artists in my area on a bigger stage,” said Dawkins, a proud Rahway native. “New Jersey has such a unique culture, blending our deep love for house music with New Jersey club music and hip-hop. People sleep on us, but we’re a big, small state with big people.”
The event was graced with performances by local artists like MOZZ!, BlazetheRebel, brandon winterz and DJ sets with talented acts like BlackDanielWhite, Chased0ut and ANNY WARHOL.
The festival’s interactive art installation, created by artist Kaishon Way, was a highlight of the event. Way’s installation embodied the festival’s theme of optimism.
“Optimism is being bold enough to stand in the present and welcome the future with open arms,” said Way in a statement.
His work aimed to inspire others just as the Black and Brown creators within Rahway have inspired him.
Mayor Raymond Giacobbe, a fourth-generation Rahway native, praised the HOTC’s impact on the community.
“This year’s Heart of the City Festival embodies the spirit of optimism, bringing together our community to celebrate diversity and reinvest in the hope of what is yet to come,” he stated.