House in the Park (HITP), one of Atlanta’s favorite music events returns to celebrate 20 years of community and culture at Atlanta’s Grant Park on Sunday, September 1. The all-ages event draws over 15,000 people for a day of food, fellowship, and fun all set
to a soundtrack by four of the hottest Atlanta-based and internationally known House DJs, event creator and co-founder Ramon Rawsoul (The Gathering), co-founder Kai Alcé (NDATL Muzik), Salah Ananse (Afrique Electrique), and DJ Kemit (Spread Love).
The 1-day music event is unique in the festival space as it is held on the same Sunday before Labor Day every year and has only featured the same four performing artists for 20 years. Native Chicagoan and long-time Atlanta resident, Rawsoul created the fete which has built a reputation as a truly inclusive event that welcomes multiple generations, ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds, and sexual orientations.
“I am incredibly honored by the support House in the Park has received from our attendees near and far over two decades. Kai, Kemit, Salah and I have intentionally cultivated a day that spotlights house music and brings together an extremely diverse audience in an atmosphere of love and acceptance,” said Ramon Rawsoul, co-founder and creator the event. “I am also extremely grateful to the Atlanta City Council, Atlanta Parks and
Recreation Department, and the residents of the Grant Park community who have entrusted us with this beautiful venue and allow us to host one of Atlanta’s most anticipated gatherings.”
This year’s Special 20th Anniversary Sponsor is ViiV Healthcare — the only pharmaceutical company solely focused on HIV and AIDS. Continuing ViiV’s work in Atlanta of using culture to engage people around health and access to care, ViiV is bringing an exciting first to this year’s festival — a secondary stage that will pay homage to the forerunner of the House genre, Disco music. As Disco faced a backlash from mainstream radio, Chicago DJs and producers started to alter disco tracks with more electronic and mechanical beats. They used drum machines and synthesizers to reshape the rhythmic structure of songs, emphasizing repetitive beats and electronic sounds. Honoring this history, Viiv’s Disco stage will feature music, dance lessons, photo moments, popsicles and more — all while highlighting that HIV prevention is for everyone, and everyone has a role to play, especially among communities of color in Atlanta.
Another new offering for the festival’s emerald year is the House in the Park Hospitality Lounge. The 21+ space will offer a limited hosted bar, access to special viewing platforms and more. Partial proceeds from this upgraded ticket fee will be donated to Atlanta-based charity Dignify A Diva, an organization that sends a message of dignity, support, and renewed pride to women and girls surviving trauma by providing them with personal toiletry items they need in a beautiful new or gently loved purse.
House in the Park started as a small picnic for southern-transplant House “heads” in Candler Park with less than 100 people. Over the years the event moved from Candler to Perkerson Park before landing at its current home in Grant Park in 2012. During the past two decades HITP has grown into an award-winning destination event, drawing thousands of loyal fans year after year.
The Atlanta City Council issued an official “House in the Park Day” proclamation in 2013 presented to Rawsoul by then City Councilperson, Caesar Mitchell. The festival has also been recognized by Creative Loafing’s Best of Atlanta Awards as both the “Critics Choice for Best Neighborhood Festival” in 2018 and “Best Music Festival” in 2019. HITP has also spawned the 5-day Atlanta Weekender which holds a series of satellite events encompassing house, soul, afro music and more throughout the same weekend.
Guests can bring their own food and beverages to the park, or they can take advantage of a host of food trucks, vendors and bars on site. Gates open at 10am. Music starts at 12 noon and goes until dusk.
Presale tickets are $20 and children 10 and under are free when accompanied by a ticketed guest. General admission tickets, the HITP Hospitality Lounge tickets, and Premium Tent Packages can be purchased at www.houseinthepark.org/tickets.
This post was curated by Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., founder & editor-in-chief of The Burton
Wire. Follow the Burton Wire on social media @BurtonWireNews or @TheBurtonWire.Â
