STREET FESTIVAL - 2nd day - Hip-Hop Day

SATURDAY 28th July

Second day of the Street Festival was connected with this what comes to our mind, when we think about street art. Hip hop? Graffiti? Skating? Yes! But also much much more.

During  the “Hip Hop Day” which took place on Saturday, 27th of July, almost 3000 people visited park and enjoyed positive and artistic atmosphere created by volunteers and artists from Greece and different parts of the world.  Everything started like every day on central part of park, specially prepared for skates and BMX.  Youngsters from Kalamata could use it and present their skills in skating. At 6 p.m. graffiti artist from city and guests from France started prepare its pieces of arts. Viewers could observe whole process of creating graffiti in more than 10 spots in different parts of the railway park.

As Street Festival is not a commercial festival, but is created by active citizens, very important part of it have been social projects. One of them was an art installation, final result of project “Step”. Through an open call immigrants from all over the world - regardless of age or sex - wrote down their thoughts and ideas connected with word “step”. These were collected and “dressed” the tent which was used after the earthquake in Kalamata. It stood  as a symbol of safety and protection. Viewers could visit this tent and as well as express their thoughts and  then sew them with red string to the tent.

Another important action was project “RE:Think”. This artistic and social project aims at raising awareness for the city of Kalamata. A part of this initiative is to create improvised composters in home and neighborhood and thanks to the effort of the network in the county composting in the Municipality of Kalamata, which already operates a pilot phase. Part of the project are also workshops, in which authors learn how to use recycled materials for various aims. During the festival, in wagon which belongs to the project’s authors, there was an exhibition of everyday things  created during workshops made with cans, wood, paper, plastic and even pasta. Authors of the project were open to talk about their job and mission. They claimed that they participate in Street Festival, because on one hand they want to promote their activity, on the other, they want to take part in the event, which gives the local community a possibility to gather and use their social space in creative and active way.

Second day of course could not exist without music and dance. And because of that, on the festival stage we could see and hear local and international MCs like Eisovelas from Athens and Kazdall from France and participants of Youth Exhange “Love, Peace and Unity” Zakari also from France. Portugal and French participants of YE and local dancers gave a great break dance show.

Hip hop day, was just like this music genre, full of energy. Concerts gathered a lot of people and it was really nice to watch a crowd around the stage. There was a great music  and a lot of fun. What is more there was a place for active social project. And it is one of the reasons why Street Festival is itself a fantastic social project as well.