Polyrhythms Bill Bell Jazz & Heritage Festival 2023

Polyrhythms is excited and honored to collaborate with the MLK Center, RI Parks & Recreation, RI County NAACP and combine the annual “Family Fun Day” with the 9th Annual “Bill Bell Jazz & Heritage Festival.” This event features former Bill Bell student and subsequent Arsenio Hall music director Michael Wolff, as the festival headliner. The BBJ&HF is held August 18 and 19 at MLK Park, Rock Island, and August 20 at Rivermont Collegiate, Bettendorf.

Saturday, August 19th, the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center invites you to participate in its Family Fun Day Parade which begins at Frances Willard Elementary School (25th Avenue and 9th Street, RI) at 10:00am, proceeds north on 9th Street, and ends at the MLK Center and Park on 7th Avenue. You can ride bikes, build a float, decorate your vehicle or just walk. Be creative!

In 2014 Polyrhythms, searching for an event that celebrates the history, uniqueness and diversity of our neighborhoods while inspiring pride and belonging to our community, chose to model our event after the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, an annual celebration of local music and culture. We are constantly reminded by how deeply our lives are affected by music and how it affects our diverse cultures. It is an essential aspect of all civilizations and has the power to emotionally, morally, and culturally affect society. When people from one culture exchange music with another culture, they gain valuable insights into another way of life that bridges a divide in communications. “This could be the start of something big,” said officials.

People often feel that “no one understands them” or knows how they “truly feel.” Many resort to music or recreation to find connections with others to express themselves and discover a sense of understanding others.

It has been said of Bill Bell, mentor and namesake of our festival. “He inspired and encouraged not only through his tremendous musical gifts, but also through the strength of his character. He felt very strongly about the well-being of others and saw music as uplifting. He saw potential in students where others did not and inspired his students to be the very best they could be,” said David Berson.

The addition of the MLK Family Fun Day parade and community block party, the NAACP’s invitation for organizations to host an informational booth, along with jumpy houses, children’ s activities, food, merchandise & book vendors, means the MLK Center doubles down on its emphasis on family fun in a continued effort to provide activities that lead to an epic experience for all.

sign up/submissions – https://www.mlkcenter.org/events/ffd23

This is a FREE and “open to the public event”