Matthew Vossler of Southside Committee Logistics and Volunteers says, “The Soul of Southside Festival is all about celebrating what makes the southside great, the arts, the culture, the sense of community.”
He is a native who lives on the Southside. Vossler shares that the Soul of Southside Arts and Humanities Festival is to promote the positive aspects of that community. Historically the Southside of Tallahassee has been mostly known for its challenges and crimes within the area.
After planning this event for nearly a year the work is about to pay off. Festival Director, Christic Henry, talks about how often times people in that community can be overlooked.
Henry says, “It goes uncovered, it goes undiscovered, and it goes unheralded.”
She says it is important that the community is aware that the residents of the south-side are an essential piece to Tallahassee’s history.
“I think that this festival calls those things forward and does it in a way that’s relevant to preserve the cultural heritage of this community.”
Volunteer, Britney Smith, is on the festival marketing committee. She discusses the large variety of people that will come out to inform and participate in the festival’s success. Things such as education experts, vendors, and local non-profits.
Smith says, “One other piece of the festival is that it really does touch every part of the Tallahassee community as a whole.”
Although the history of the south-side will always play a large factor Smith believes it is also important to stay informed about what’s to come.
Smith continues, “Bringing in people that can enhance the story about the history, about the culture even with what’s currently going on, on the south side of Tallahassee. We’ll have representatives that come to share about upcoming projects or upcoming building plans for that community.”
With help from the community this festival will continue to grow and expand each year. To volunteer head on over to sosfesttlh.com.
