BURGH
Thrival Music has always been cross-genre and eclectic. The
approach is to avoid having the festival serve one particular
audience or taste. Each year, audiences hear a mixture of sounds and
orchestration — from hip-hop to electronic, alt-indie, funk and more.
“Additionally, Thrival Music has always grabbed a lot of attention
because, simply put, it’s a lot of fun and really cool,” notes Law. “On
the site, attendees can check out vendors, interactive activities, food
trucks, tours inside the Carrie Furnaces and more.”
Thrival involves hundreds of people and dozens of organizations
all working together toward a common goal. Whether it’s local and
regional government partners, universities, community groups,
startups, corporate sponsors, musicians, innovators or the many
volunteers who offer their time and skills, Thrival partners all bring
something unique to the table that helps the festival succeed year in
and year out.
Thrival Innovation + Music Festival has seen a lot of great change
over the past five years, with the size and scale of Thrival Music as
the most obvious difference. The festival had over 14,000 attendees
last year, compared to 1,500+ attendees when it started in 2013.
There were four music acts in the first year, and nearly 20 acts will be
featured in 2017. The acts also continue to get bigger and bigger. This
year, the festival’s headliners are Wiz Khalifa, Logic, Carnage, GRiZ
and Two Door Cinema Club, with Kyle, Kiiara, TokiMonsta and
more.
For Thrival Innovation, the first (and only) programs in 2013 were
thought talks and demos prior to the music. It was only a few hours
long. Now, Thrival Innovation is two days, and will host dozens of
national and international technology and innovation leaders, with
over 15 programs and events. The “marquee” Thrival Innovation event
will be hosted at the Carnegie Museum of Art on Thursday, Sept. 28,
where the entire museum will feature an array of interactive, artificial
intelligence-inspired exhibits and demos, as well as keynote talks.
The proceeds from Thrival (tickets, sponsorships, food/beverage
sales) go to support Ascender and its mission. Each year, the size of
the festival grows—and so does the budget—but whatever remaining
funds subsidize the incubator program, community events and
nonprofit operations.
“If you believe in the power of new ideas and creativity, then
Thrival is for you,” says Law. “As a rule, we are always open to new
partners and collaborators. Each year, there are new faces and new
organizations helping make Thrival a reality.”
For more information, visit thrivalfestival.com. Follow Thrival on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To learn more about Ascender and
its mission, visit ascenderpgh.com. n
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