Last Friday, former Whiskey Flat mayoral contender Justin Powers, also known as Powder Packin’ Powers, and the founder of Sierra Shared Spaces invited the public to join him at a Neighbor to Neighbor Block Party August 9, 4pm to 6pm. The event occurs just before the second River Rhythms performance in Kernville.
Local Jackylyn Wallace has joined Sierra Shared Spaces as their part time event coordinator. She is doing a lot of the legwork organizing of the event.
Powers said, “We’ll have some music playing. We’ll have a lot of fun family activities. We’ll have some kids activities. We’re hoping to have stuff that can keep the kids busy during the River Rhythms Concert as well.”
Sierra Shared spaces also requested food venues selling food during River Rhythms would also commit to selling food during the block party
Powers said, “August 9th is International Coworking Day. It’s been celebrated for about the last ten years. And the person who came up with the idea for celebrating it August 9th Tony Bacigalupo was actually a friend of mine. He created the event. But it essentially recognizes the date that the word coworking first entered popular usage.”
Last year Kern County Board of Supervisors issued a proclamation recognizing August 9 as International Coworking Day. Powers said he accepted the proclamation, last year, with Ashley Proctor who created her own first coworking space a year prior to the date recognized by International Coworking Day.
This year, because the date falls on the same day as River Rhythms Concert Series which happens to be Powers’ favorite event of the year, Powers reached out to the Kern Valley Hospital Foundation about working together with the foundation to celebrate both events without the coworking event disrupting River Rhythms. Both entities determined to work hand in hand and therefore Sierra Shared Spaces is attempting to attain permission, through an application process, from Kern County to shut down Piute street, off of Circle Park, in the evening to hold a Neighbor to Neighbor Block Party that would start a couple of hours before River Rhythms so those attending could go to the concert series after attending the block party, August 9. Powers hopes the block party would make the River Rhythms an even bigger event.
Powers said, “As much as possible, with all the events that Sierra Shared Spaces is going to be doing, especially over the next 18 months, our goal is to partner with as many local organizations as we can. We really want to lift up and celebrate the other organizations of the valley that are doing excellent work. And this is just another great way of doing that.”
Sierra Shared Spaces is also starting to let people know about the next Block Party event Powers plans for the entity to hold, which is planned for National Good Neighbor Day, in September, tentatively September 28. Plans for that event are still being solidified. However Powers wanted the public to know there would be more Block Party events, Sierra Shared Spaces would be holding.
