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ONE SPARK - DOWNTOWN JACKSONVILLE April 7-12, 2015

I went to One Spark last night to support local entrepreneurs and check out what they had to offer. If you don't know what One Spark is here's what the website has to say:

"One Spark is the World’s Largest Crowdfunding Festival, designed to connect Creators with the resources they need to bring their ideas to life. From April 7 - 12, 2015, artists, entrepreneurs and innovators in Art, Education, Health & Science, Music, Social Good, and Technology will display Projects in a 20-square-block, multi-venue gallery in downtown Jacksonville, Florida. One Spark is the community behind great ideas. It’s your chance to submit and decide on the next big thing. It’s the opportunity to get involved, be inspired, connect and collaborate."

I believe it's on its third year and I think it's a great opportunity for people to get their name out there - if not to get the funding but at least for branding purposes.

It's set up in downtown Jacksonville. The streets are shut down and food trucks and booths are set up so people can mill around and check everything out. Not only are the streets closed, but businesses in the area open their doors so entrepreneurs can set up shop inside. There's a lot to see, a lot to do, and you definitely need to go all of the days to see everything.

We went last night for only a couple of hours. Had some beers, ate some food and met some cool people. One of the projects are the Jacksonville Rollergirls. These ladies are my friends and I NSO (non-skating official - i.e. scorekeeper/penalty box timer/etc.) when I have time. They're at One Spark to raise money to get a venue that would be the new home of the Rollergirls. Currently they are renting space at the Mandarin Skate Station, and the venue is not working for the #15 WFTDA ranked team. They need their own space!They're voting number is #22214.

Another project we came across was Hubby. Paige is the owner and founder of this business which promotes "the quest for friendship within nature." She said she knew at an early age that she wanted to be an entrepreneur, and she was tired of working a job that didn't make her happy so 6 months ago she said she had enough and started Hubby. Her products are all organic. The pure essential oil in the necklaces "permeates through the cork of the glass vial, into your nasal passage way, into your blood stream offering benefits throughout the day with the essential oil of your choice." She also has organic tank tops that are so cute I had to buy one. She wants to expand her brand to outside boutiques around town and I admire her for quitting her day job and starting this new career path - something I aspire to do. She said to me "just do it. It's women empowering women." And I might just take her advice. Her voting number is #22010.

There were so many other projects there that I missed because there's so much to see and not enough time. But in my travels these are some things I saw down at One Spark:

A painting in an abandoned building. I don't know who the artist is but I thought it was really cool.


This band was pretty cool. The sign says: "We are Fort Stories. A band created with a  goal of writing and recording music that means something to ourselves and like minded people. One Spark is our outlet for funding a concept album based on the lost and found of two young lovers."

RouxeArt Mosaics are trying to tile all of Hemming Park. They were at the ArtWalk at the first of the month and my fiancée and I added a couple tiles to one of their designs that they're planning on putting on poles throughout the park. The design above is on the wall that surrounds Hemming Park.

Giving away free hugs. Yarn Bombing Jacksonville one yarn ball at a time.

A sculpture in front of MOCA.
 
If you're in and around Jacksonville I definitely recommend you check out One Spark. Maybe it will inspire you!

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