By Shawn Nowlin
October is the perfect time of the year for members of the community to hear spoken word poetry, experience creative pumpkin displays, food trucks, live music, free books and more. All of the above occurred on Oct. 21 during the inaugural Rhythm & Rhyme Melrose Fall Festival. The free event, hosted by the Goodwill Plaza, was open to all from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Quite literally, there was something for everyone.
The clear, cool autumn day attracted hundreds of people across the Roanoke Valley and beyond. Plenty of local organizations manned tables and tents to share valuable resources and answer questions.
Members of the Virginia Tech football team – Defensive Lineman Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Quarterback Pop Watson and Defensive Lineman Josh Fuga – were there to lend a helping hand and have fun with the children.
Having an opportunity to meet the players and take pictures is something that Diana Giles took full advantage of. “I jokingly told them that I have been a diehard Hokies fan since they were all in diapers,” she said. “Seeing the faces of so many children light up as they interacted with the student-athletes was something beautiful to experience. What impressive young men they all were.”
Among the musicians, poets and creatives who graced the performance stage were Eliana Spencer, Angelina Dawn, KyAnne Reeves and Maurice Thompkins.
Dawn is the Co-Executive Director of the Listening Inc., a nonprofit created to engage, change and save lives with performing arts through community engagement and youth programming. She says her favorite time of the year is when the leaves begin to turn and the temperatures start to cool.
“We exist to challenge the perception of performing arts. Our bold vision sees our community changed by socially minded creatives using their time, talent and passion to positively impact the world around them,” Dawn added.
Thompkins, known professionally as M.O.E. Reese, is a respected emcee with several songs on Spotify. His time on stage was spent performing records off his self-titled debut studio album. “I put so much labor into my craft that I’ve lost track over the years. I am thankful for the festival’s platform to share my message with the community,” he said.
Explaining why last Saturday’s event was a complete vibe, Reeves, a talented poet and author, said, “Words do not do justice, people just have to experience it. Dope people give off a certain energy and this year’s fall festival was full of such individuals. I love to see folks letting loose and having fun. Organizers expected a good turnout and that is exactly what happened.”
Before the event concluded, Elani Spencer was crowned Roanoke’s first-ever Youth Poet Laureate Champion. The runner-ups were Jasmine Louis, Zoe Johnson and Kalani “Recks” Johnson.
“Soul Sessions Roanoke and the Roanoke Arts Commission collaborated with the Melrose Library to make this event a reality. Myself and Roanoke Teacher of the Year Adria Cintron initially launched the idea of the Rhythm & Rhyme Festival. This family-friendly event serves as a reminder of what can be accomplished when talented people work together as a team,” Bryan Hancock, also known as Blaque Harvest, said.
He added, “The Roanoke Youth Poet Laureate Program is a branch of the national brand that brought Amanda Gorman to the forefront. This will be a yearly gathering moving forward.”
