DALLAS — "150 Years of Culture. 50 Years of Hip Hop. 1 Deep Ellum Day."
That's the best way to describe the first-ever Deep Ellum Music Festival that's taking place in November. (No, it's not the first-ever music festival in Deep Ellum, but we digress.)
The festival will be free and family-friendly as it celebrates the culture and talent that has come from the entertainment district. That includes rock band Bowling For Soup, who will be headlining the event. That North Texas-sprung band will perform at this event alongside Doug E. Fresh and Reverend Run of Run-D.M.C., who will at the same time throw their own celebration of hip-hop's 50th anniversary as a genre during the festivities.
In a press released announcing the event, Bowling for Soup bandmember Jaret Reddick said that, while the band formed in Wichita Falls, they played plenty of shows in Deep Ellum when they first got started.
“Honestly, when I think of Deep Ellum, it is pretty much the same as thinking about home,” said Reddick. "We found a family that accepted us and more than that, supported us, even though we didn’t sound like anyone else in the scene. I still get that same feeling when I play down there. Deep Ellum Dallas is a huge part of who Bowling for Soup was, is and will be. “
The festival will run from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18, at the corner of Main Street and Good Latimer Expressway.
WFAA's own Tashara Parker will be hosting along with special guests featured throughout the day.
The Deep Ellum Music Festival continues the 150th anniversary celebrations that've been happening throughout the year.
The neighborhood was recently recognized by the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district. Organizer also opened a new community center with a permanent "When You Go Down in Deep Ellum" exhibition.