Only about 100 people attended the first SPARKcon event in 2006. This weekend in its 10th year, more than 58,000 people visited downtown Raleigh for the festival. SPARKcon, started by Aly and Beth Khalifa, is a four-day event that showcases themes such as art, music and theater that exemplify the creativity in Raleigh.
This year’s events featured 14 main themes and lasted from Thursday to Sunday. Street paintings, food truck rodeos and a musical fire table demonstration attracted cr
SPARKcon got its start in 2006. Aly Khalifa, an NC State graduate of the product design and mechanical engineering program, and wife Beth Khalifa, a UNC-Chapel Hill alumnus, owned a design space and firm called Designbox. They wanted to shed a light on Raleigh’s creative community. SPARKcon had its humble beginnings as a conference with an art showcase. They paired with Visual Arts Exchange, where Aly Khalifa was a board member.
“The idea of showcasing all the talent in the area brings it all together in one place so that people could meet each other, network and bring an awareness to the depth of the creative community here,” said Sarah Powers, the director of Visual Arts Exchange. “I think the original intent has stayed really strong, which is that there’s no one person planning this event, but anyone who wants to make it happen is welcome to.”
Powers said planning for the festival starts in October, where any participant can brainstorm on what worked and what didn’t to get a sense of how next year’s event will go. They take a two-month break before resuming meetings every third Monday starting in January at the Visual Arts Exchange up until SPARKcon’s debut weekend.
Since 2006, downtown Raleigh has changed in terms of landscape. SPARKcon used to be confined to Moore Square as its venue. The festival has grown with the city, now using the majority of the Warehouse District and Fayetteville Street, and has minimized its vending by utilizing local restaurants and food trucks.
“We want people to go in and out of places that are already here, supporting downtown in general,” Powers said. “What’s wonderful is how many coffee shops and restaurants and galleries have popped up. We used to be able to use empty spaces, and there’s no empty space anymore, so that physical transformation has definitely been a part of SPARKcon.”
Those who went to the event talked about its exciting and creative atmosphere.
“The thing I remembered most was the street art, which turned out to be pretty fun,” said Kevin John Holgado, a junior studying electrical engineering.
Students also participated in performing at SPARKcon music venues.
“I was with Just Cuz Crew, one of the hip-hop dance crews on campus, and we performed on the main stage,” said Meg Kurdys, a sophomore studying international studies. “When I saw people holding up their phones clearly taking videos, I knew we were doing our best and representing NC State in a good, fun light.”
Lisa Hoang, a senior studying fashion and textile management, participated as a designer in the Wear What You Are fashion show at City Plaza.
“I was reached by the fashionSPARK committee at SPARKcon in regard to my art2wear collection,” Hoang said. “It’s a great experience to be a part of it and a great way to bring together the arts.”
A decade later, SPARKcon has grown from a small gathering to mirror the growth of Raleigh’s budding downtown.
The performers of the group Bandaloop, performs at their free event which was a part of SparkCon and was organized by NC State Live. Bandaloop, a pioneer in vertical dance performance, seamlessly weaves dynamic physicality, intricate choreography and the art of climbing to turn the dance floor on its side, performs at the Aloft Hotel, in front of Bell Tower at Hillsborough street on Saturday, September 20, 2015.
