‘A little bit more soul’: Elk Grove will host new, one-day spring music festival next month

Elk Grove residents and those nearby can get their groove on, two-stepping during a new, one-day R&B-focused music festival coming to the area in May.

The Elk Grove Spring Music Festival will be held May 11 at the Laguna Town Hall amphitheater, 3020 Renwick Ave. The show starts at noon and ends at 7 p.m.

Festival performers include Sacramento’s The Band Hayez, the Bay Area’s Agape Soul, Chicago’s Carla Fleming and the headliner, Boston’s Noel Goudin.

The event is being put on by A-List Party Experience (APEX), a promotional group that says on its website it provides “top-shelf” entertainment throughout Northern California. APEX is hosting the inaugural event in partnership with the Cosumnes Community Services District.

APEX director of talent and vending Michael Craft said the artists performing at Elk Grove Spring Music Festival each bring a different sound and cadence.

“It’s going to be a great show,” Craft said. “We’re going to have food vendors and merchandise vendors, VIP as well as general seating, a beer and wine garden. It’s going to be an outstanding time.”

The event organizers held their first Elk Grove event in September, their first annual Elk Grove Jazz Festival which brought together more than 700 people to the Laguna Town Hall amphitheater despite some rain.

“I mean, it was great. It was outstanding, especially for our first event,” Craft said. “People came out, they had a great time. And it’s one of those events where if I go and have a great time, I’m going to tell somebody else, that’s how you build momentum in this entertainment business, especially in a community like ours that is not used to having things like this. People have to get the word out.”

Rob Sutton, APEX co-founder and director of marketing, anticipates their upcoming Elk Grove Spring Music Festival will outdo the jazz event.

“There’s a lot that goes into this,” Sutton said. “We’re really excited about the prospect of this being an even bigger event parlaying off. What happened last time – with 700 people attending – considering the weather was unpredictable, we still had a good turnout. We expect that it’ll be better this time around.”

Craft added: “The fact that we gave a great event, it was outstanding. It bodes well for us in the future. So we’re looking forward to another big crowd, hopefully more than what we had in the last event. That’s going to bring about our success.”

Their jazz festival was more focused on the contemporary sound. This time, they expect a little bit more bounce in their step.

“Well, this time, we wanted to make it a little bit more R&B type and feature more R&B,” Craft said. “This is going to have a little bit more soul.”

Michael Bennett, APEX director of logistics, was passing out fliers to the Elk Grove Spring Music festival at a Golden 1 bank. He said people were saying “there’s nothing to do in Elk Grove.”

“That’s what we’re trying to do,” Bennett said. “Bring a little diversity and entertainment to the Sacramento area and Elk Grove.”

Craft said that they want to provide the Elk Grove community with a family-friendly event.

“It’s not just for the African American community, but we definitely know that part that is missing in the community,” Craft said. “We wanted to make sure that people have a place to go. You hear in the community ‘there’s nothing to do with Sacramento.’ We’re trying to make it as affordable and as convenient as possible. It’s right here in the neighborhood. A lot of people can walk to the venue, or you can Uber to the venue for easy access.”

Craft, Sutton and Bennett, the APEX co-founders and co-organizers, have over 60 years of combined experience, according to their website.

Following their inaugural jazz festival last year, Sutton told The Sacramento Bee their second annual Elk Grove jazz festival will be later in the year on Sept. 28, the last Saturday of the month.

In addition to the festivals, every second Sunday of the month, APEX hosts Sunday brunch and live music at Our Place Events in Old Sacramento.

“We’re definitely a viable, up and coming company in this community and in this region,” Craft said. “We’re here to stay.”

Tickets for the Elk Grove Spring Music Festival will range from $20 to $85. Purchases can be made online by searching the “Elk Grove Spring Music Fest” on Eventbrite.