What started as a one-time 30th birthday celebration for Flint Local 432 – an all-ages music venue in Downtown Flint – has turned into something much bigger. Mixdown! 432’s Fall Foodie Fundraiser is now an annual event that gives chefs from around the country a chance to show off their talents. The featured chefs come from San Francisco, Lansing and right here in Flint. Director of the Local’s parent organization, Red Ink Flint, is excited to see this line-up this year.
“This feels like our best chef line-up yet,” Rash says. “San Francisco is well-represented by Tim Archuleta; Ichi Sushi, Sean Thomas; who was here the first year, and Charles’ Chocolates. Shorts’ Brewery is back, and we’ve added Wildroot Coffee and some other Flint food businesses to the mix.”
However, Mixdown! is about more than just the food. The event raises money to help support operations for Flint Local 432, but it also turns into a sort of reunion for those who were part of Flint’s music scene for the past three decades according to Rash.
“The Local is really a very small operation in terms of staff and budget, despite putting on over 100 events for young people each year,” Rash says. “Mixdown raises 10 to 15% of our funding in one night. Beyond that, it is a way to connect with 432 alumni who had a great experience with the venue when they were younger but might not have thought about it as they got older. Having community champions who understand the importance of a welcoming, diverse and active venue is truly priceless.”
Flint Local 432 opened its doors in 1985 and has been an influence on the Flint music scene ever since. The venue has hosted larger bands such as My Chemical Romance, Less Than Jake, and Coheed and Cambria, and had a part in the beginning of some nationally touring Flint-based bands including The Swellers and Chiodos. However, the Local isn’t just a music venue according to Rash.
“Most of our in-house events are live music, ranging from rock to punk to hip-hop and more,” Says Rash. “But beyond that, we book theatre, film, dance, comedy, puppetry, even zombies, really whatever performing arts young people are making. We also host a ton of community groups that work with youth… Our slogan, ‘Downtown Flint’s All-Ages Anchor’ was actually coined during planning for the first year of Mixdown. It is a bold claim, but we work hard to live up to it.”
Mixdown! 432’s Fall Foodie Fundraiser is Friday, October 13 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Factory Two, 129 North Grand Traverse Street, Flint, Michigan 48503. Check out their Event Page for more information and to buy tickets. For more information about Flint Local 432 go to www.flintlocal432.com.