Frizz Fest is a gift that keeps on giving, since its establishment in 2017, and it has grown into a celebrated event for hair naturalistas.
“I will always bring Frizz Fest back because it’s in my heart,” said Leslie Hughes, the event’s founder.
“If I don’t do it I don’t feel like I’m breathing. I love doing it. It brings me so much joy to create a space for Black in St. Louis to come out and be free.”
Hughes birthed the inspiration behind Frizz Fest after losing her mother.
“When I lost my mother I was lost in a dark space, my mom was always my driving motivating force,” Hughes said.
“I had low self esteem, lack of self love, lack of purpose. Frizz Fest came about because I was going through that time in my life where I needed to start this self love, self healing journey, and I wanted to bring other Black women along that journey with me.”
The annual event returned to Tower Grove Park on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, with its largest imprint since inception.
Frizz Fest 2022 featured more than 30 merchandise and food vendors, and included hair care products, clothing and accessories.
Briana Isom, Kuriston Dunlap, and Daysha Gathing, founders of Black Girls Do Cool [Expletive], were at the showcase.
Dunlap said most people think you have to sell a product to have a business, but that isn’t her case. She and her partners have a mission to use their platform to uplift and support Black women.
“Our brand is about supporting Black women, Black businesses, and Black everything,” Isom said. “We’re rooting for everybody Black. We want to uplift and empower Black women in everything they do, and celebrate any of their accomplishments.”
Entertainers R&B singer MAXA, veteran R&B/Soul singer Lydia Caesar, introspective Rap superstar and St. Louis City SC’s director of musical experience, Mvstermind, and the West African Drum and Dance Company, Afriky LoLo kept the positive energy flowing.
Congresswoman Cori Bush attended and provided guests, especially Black women, with the encouragement they need to hear while navigating through a society that doesn’t always have their best interests at heart.
“This is amazing to be in this space where you can be all of you and it’s accepted you don’t have to change up, you don’t have to code switch,” Bush said. “You can just be you. It’s great to be a Black woman, it’s amazing.”
Bush, also proudly also talked about her calling to shift the narrative of representation in Congress, and how that translates to Black people in St. Louis being whole and comfortable with themselves despite adversity.
“When I first ran for office they told me ‘you can’t run for Congress your braids are unprofessional, ‘you can’t run for Congress your hips are too big,’” Bush said. “They cropped me out of photos and said I was a dark spot in the photo. Self love kept me going. Thinking about all of you and having St. Louis’ love kept me going.”
Frizz Fest 2022 included a hair and fashion show on the mainstage and hair demos and texture talks in the beauty lounge. Young festival goers were occupied in the youth zone with arts and crafts.
Inner zen was centered with yoga and meditation sessions.
Hughes expressed gratitude and humility toward St. Louis for believing in her vision for Frizz Fest.
“I want everyone to keep coming back year after year,” Hughes said. “We’re never going away. I’m thankful for all the love and support St. Louis has continued to show us, it means so much to me.”
The St. Louis American interviewed Hughes last year about Frizz Fest. Read the story here: https://www.stlamerican.com/arts_and_entertainment/living_it/frizzy-by-nature/article_c72717e8-0050-11ec-ba11-a76e5f2bff9f.html.
