![Fun, Family, Friends, and Funk At Festival In Buffalo [PICS]](http://townsquare.media/site/11/files/2024/08/attachment-funk-fest-20240825-0998.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Fun, Family, Friends, and Funk At Festival In Buffalo [PICS]
The weekend of Friday, August 23, 2024, to Sunday, August 25, 2024, marked the 20th Anniversary of Buffalo Funk Fest, and thousands of people from far and wide came to Buffalo's East Side to celebrate music, family, fun, and funk all weekend long.
What started as a simple celebration of Rick James's life and music has become a massive event that draws people from all over.
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James, born James Ambrose Johnson, Jr., was credited with popularizing the music genre Punk Funk, which, according to Wikipedia, combines punk rock and funk music during the 1970s and 1980s.
The annual Funk Festival itself traces its origins back to 2004 when more than 6,000 people attended Rick James' funeral, which was held at St. John Baptist Church on Goodell Street in downtown Buffalo. As crowds filed through the historic Buffalo church, people sang James' lyrics, and cars blasted his songs. People even started dancing in the street as they celebrated James' life.
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Once the funeral was officially over, people would normally disburse and go about their regular business. However, this was not the case in Buffalo, as thousands more people found their way to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park to hold a spontaneous celebration of Rick James and Funk Music. In the years that followed, the Funk Fest grew from humble roots to a beloved event attracting thousands. It's only possible thanks to the dedication of untold Buffalonians who work hard daily.
The 20th Anniversary event occurred in two locations this year, along Jefferson Avenue and in Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, from Friday, August 23, 2024, to Sunday, August 25, 2024, and featured a block party, food, art vendors, rides, family-friendly activities, and various musicians, including The Rick James Legacy Band, Will Holton, The Diamond Classic Band, Delivered, The P-Funk Connection, and Atlantic Starr.
You can check out photos from the weekend's activities below.
Fun With Family and Friends at The 20th Annual Funk Festival
Gallery Credit: Ed Nice