What's Going On: Week of January 13th and Beyond.

The 2nd Annual Kwanzaa Celebration

In this life, it is important to focus on principles. In 2024, Mr. Leon Williams, Mr. Will Green, and Mr. Shaun Harris illustrated this point by putting on the First Annual Kwanzaa Celebration. As you know, Kwanzaa is a holiday built around The Nguzo Saba, or Seven Principles.

Never ones to rest on their laurels, the Kwanzaa Organizing Committee (KOC) is proud to announce that the 2nd Annual Kwanzaa Celebration will take place on February 22, 2025. The location is being finalized now as plans for the event are coming together quickly.

The KOC have done a “hotwash” of last year’s event, and are designing and streamlining this year’s event to ensure constant improvement. So keep it locked in right here for further details on the 2025 Kwanzaa Celebration.

The Patterson Library has a Raft of Programs Coming Up

As always, the City of Lubbock Library Department has dozens of events for the whole family. The Patterson Library in particular has events and programming for everyone in the community, from movies to Story Times to Girl’s Nights Out.

Rhythm and Rhyme Open Mic Night

Back in November, we Focus LBK, in collaboration with The Roots Historical Arts Council, put on the inaugural Rhythm and Rhyme Open Mic Night. We had a great event with a real nice vibe. A goodly crowd of talented folks came out to spit poetry, rapped, recited Bible verses, and talked about whatever was on their heart.

We will hold our second iteration in mid-March, so be on the lookout if you or someone you know wants to get on the mic!

First Friday Art Trail at Caviel’s— February 7th

Now, remember the Adam Hawley concert that is coming up February 20th? Well, a couple weeks before that, on Friday February 7th, you’ll have a chance to win tickets to that much-anticipated musical exhibition.

Bass Lady Supreme Joy Harris will perform her signature brand of jazz/funk/soul standards and original compositions.

And, not only will you get to jam out with this multi-faceted diamond of the plains, but there will also be a food truck, and a special drawing to win 2 tickets to the Adam Hawley Concert. You’ll be able to buy ticket for $5.00. Get 5 Tickets for $20.00, and you must be present to win the drawing.

Village Picture Day February 8th

We recently talked with Mr. LaCarl Richardson and Mr. Cosby Morton on the podcast, and these gentlemen really got us thinking about “The Village”. We thought it would be good to produce a documentary film about “The Village”, but we realized we would need help from the community to do this.

Listen Here

We would like to put out the call out to community members to bring in pictures of their family’s life and times here in the LBK.

To help facilitate this, we will host an event called “Village Picture Day”. The goals of this event are two fold. First, we want to take pictures of you and your family.

Second, if you have old pictures of you and your family in East LBK from the 1990’s and before, please bring them in to this event and let us scan them in.

We especially want pics made in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. We’d like to use them in the documentary, which will be all about the close knit, walkable community that East Lubbock used to be in the time before desegregation.

If you would like to get classic monochrome photo prints made of you and the family, come out to Caviel’s on February 8th, 2025, and bring some old pics with you, too! More details to follow.

Spring Fusion Reboot Talent Show

All of my 70’s and 80’s babies out there might remember the original Spring Fusion Talent Show from the 90’s. Imagine a huge community wide talent show with trophies and bragging rights.

The 100 Black Men of West Texas remembers Spring Fusion fondly, so that why they have decided to “run it back” with a 2025 feel. Imagine a mix between Showtime at the Apollo and Def Comedy Jam—a good time indeed!

Details will be forthcoming, but look for the event around mid-April 2025.