Curl Fete 2024

Jun 23, 2024 News

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Two days of fun under the theme SPLASH!

Kaieteur News – Curl Fete, the annual festival celebrating natural hair and addressing all the misconceptions of hair, will for the first-time, be hosted over the span of two days. The Waterfalls caught up with Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the natural hair festival, Mrs. Tamika Henry -Fraser who shared that Curl Fete 2024 slated for August 17 and 18 will be hosted under the theme ‘SPLASH!” she noted that the theme this year, places emphasis on the importance of keeping your hair moisturized.

“Attendees can look forward to a variety of water-themed activities designed to help them cool off in the summer heat. Expectations are high, as they should be, because we consistently deliver an enjoyable experience. This year, with the festival spanning two days, the excitement and fun will be doubled!” she disclosed.

Preparation

According to the CEO, “Preparations for the event begins with researching brands we’d love to collaborate with, following the work of content creators, engaging with hair and beauty experts, and discovering new trends in fashion and entertainment. This groundwork keeps us occupied long before our public campaigns for Curl Fete kick off.”

Since it involves a lot of moving parts and featured things can get a bit hectic, however there is a great emphasis and high value placed on the experience meted out to attendees, sponsors and vendors. According to her, the last few weeks leading up to the event are crucial, as activities ramp up significantly, there are vendor’s engagements to assist with exposure. Additionally model rehearsals for the show and booking performers and DJ’s to set the right mood and vibe are other aspects to be handled leading up to ‘crunch time’.

Curl Fete was hosted for the first time almost a decade ago in 2016. It continued annually in the three years following before a pause in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the team decided not to host the festival as they were mourning the tragic loss of our co-founder, team member, and dear friend, Denisha Victor. Triumphantly returning in 2022 as part of the Cricket Carnival festivities, Curl Fete will be adopting a biennial schedule, with the next festival set for August 2024.

History

According to Henry -Fraser, Curl Fete was created out of a desire to destigmatize kinky and curly hair, challenging the widespread misconception that these textures are unattractive, untidy, unkempt, or unprofessional.

The CEO explained “When Curl Fete was launched; it coincided with a global cultural and beauty revolution fuelled by social media. Despite this movement, positive representation of kinky and curly hair remained scarce in the media, entertainment, and beauty industries. Our goal was to change that in Guyana by confidently and deliberately celebrating our natural hair textures. Curl Fete was envisioned as a community where naturalistas could connect, share experiences, and access information, resources, and products for hair care and beauty. It also aims to dismantle the harmful belief that natural hair, various shades of brown skin and unique, unorthodox features are not beautiful”.

However as time progressed it became a platform where small business owners can be empowered, particularly women by providing opportunities for business development, exposure, and branding strategies.

“On a personal note, the ‘spark’ for me came from the negative feedback I received after doing a Big Chop while I was Miss Universe Guyana in 2010/2011. This experience made me realize how deeply ingrained the notion was that only long, straight hair was beautiful. It highlighted the damaging belief that we needed to conform to a specific beauty standard, even at the cost of our health through chemical treatments,” Henry-Fraser remarked.

In response to these challenges, celebrating natural beauty and encouraging self-acceptance. Like with any festival or event preparation is an important aspect to ensure that it is flawless and the Curl Fete team has had their work cut out for them. The team works year round to craft an immersive, unforgettable experience for festival attendees, whom they affectionately call ‘Curlfetters.’

Activities

Some activities for this year’s event include:

1. Vendors: Small businesses showcase and sell their products and services, offering a variety of unique items for attendees.
2. Sponsors: Engage with your favourite brands, score freebies, and enjoy numerous giveaways.
3. Big Chop: Witness a live makeover where a lucky winner begins her natural hair journey with a significant haircut and styling on stage.
4. Men Den: A special space for men to enjoy free haircuts and access great deals on men’s care products.
5. Kids Zone: As a family-friendly event, we create a fun space for kids to play and receive free samples of ice cream and other treats.
6. Features: We partner with experts and industry leaders to present high-quality content through workshops, demos, and panel discussions. Topics range from DIY hair products and achieving glowing skin to important issues around women’s sexual and reproductive health.
7. Hair Show: Enjoy a day-to-night stage show featuring a competition among salons showcasing creative, otherworldly hair designs. The event also includes a fashion show with boutiques and designers highlighting the year’s hottest trends, and live performances from popular and emerging artists.
8. Food and Drinks: Come hungry and spend the day indulging in a variety of food and drink options, including signature cocktails unique to Curl Fete.
9. Awards and Giveaways: There are countless competitions and opportunities to win at Curl Fete. Throughout the day, enjoy giveaways from sponsors and vendors, and in the evening, the Curl Fete team presents novelty awards for best afro, hair colour, beard, braids, outfit, and more!

As August 17^th and 18^th are less than two months away, the social media platforms of Curl Fete has been buzzing with activity. There have been announcements to win tickets before the big day and updates for details and tips are frequent via Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @curlfete. In addition, the Curl Fete team will be taking over the radio waves leading up to the festival; multiple tours on the most popular stations and talk shows to build anticipation and excitement for Curl Fete 2024. Curl Fete is also expectd to make a special appearance at this year’s Emancipation festival on August 1.

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