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The Purple Wave Festival

Purple Wave Festival 2018

The Purple Wave Festival is a free one-day, celebratory event hosted by the DC Department of Behavioral Health during the nationally recognized National Recovery Month to promote healthy lifestyles and the positive impact of mental health and substance use recovery. The purpose of this event is to let people know that recovery is possible and help is available for those impacted by mental illness and substance use in the District, especially the opioid epidemic. The Festival is intended for anyone that has or is currently recovering from mental health disorders, substance use disorders, or homelessness, as well as everyone who supports recovery as a journey to a healthy lifestyle and wellness.

What to Expect at the Purple Wave Festival?

Journey to Wellness and Recovery
Upon entering the Festival, each attendee receives a passport from which they will navigate activities and available resources supplied by District government and community vendors categorized according to the “8 Dimensions of Wellness”. Participants will then receive a stamp representing each wellness dimension they’ve visited, until all dimensions are engaged. After receiving stamps fromeach dimension of wellness, the participants will be eligible for rewards and special accommodations.

Everything DC Stage
The main stage will feature all local talent in an exciting “Everything DC” showcase with a variety ofentertainment and talent from around the DMV. The Purple Wave Fest seeks to provide opportunitiesfor local talent to share their experiences and successes through the use of their artistic expression. This year’s concert will once again close out with DC’s hometown go-go band, E.U ft. Sugar Bear.

Community Engagements & Activations
This year the Purple Wave Festival will introduce the Healing Wall, a 60ft long, interactive chalk boardwhere attendees can write messages of hope to loved ones in recovery and memorial messages tothose they’ve lost.

Purple Wave Festival 2018 Highlights
The Purple Wave Festival is continuing to grow and reach more people throughout the District. Toaccommodate this growth, we have expanded to RFK Stadium located at 2500 Independence Ave, SE. Festival attendees will have access to free onsite behavioral health services, giveaways, free haircuts, arttherapy, an expanded kids zone, and food trucks! This year, we are adding a second stage to celebrate dance,from Chinese Dragon dance to salsa, to line-dancing, to Beat Ya Feet, to Zumba dancing, attendees are sureto a have a good time!

2017 Highlights

  • 850 attendees
  • 70 wellness and recovery vendors offered services and information onsite
  • Purple Wave received the DC Mayoral Proclamation for National Recovery Month
  • Headlined by local go-go band, E.U. ft Sugar Bear and national Grammy Award winning R&B songstress, Elle Varner