Today we’d like to introduce you to Christi Gell
Hi Christi, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Heights Kids’ Day of Music (HKDM) got started 10+ years ago with an idea to put on a music festival for kids to inspire them to have a lifelong love of and engagement with music and the arts. There were music festivals in Houston and kids festivals in Houston, but none put the two together for a 100% arts and music experience. The idea was simple: showcase only performers with local roots, pull in as many of Houston’s arts gems as we could, and have the festival as interactive as possible. What started as a small festival with about 65% of attendees coming from The Heights and Garden Oaks/Oak Forest area has grown to about 4000 attendees pulling from 160+ zip codes. The 10th anniversary festival in 2024 had three stages of performances, showcased over 35 arts organizations in our Creative Zone, and had interactive experiences such as an Instrument Petting Zoo where attendees can try out different band and orchestra instruments, and a Singing Station, where groups like Ars Lyrica and Opera in The Heights run singing workshops.
When COVID hit, we had to pivot for our 2020 and 2021 festival to doing online and smaller seasonal events. When we were able to have a larger festival again, we realized those smaller events provided ways to continue our mission of bringing music and the arts to the Houston community, so those have stayed as part of our programming.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not! The biggest hurdle was 2020 and 2021 because of COVID. The last thing we wanted was for HKDM to become a super spreader event for families, so we had to pivot to smaller seasonal events and virtual events. I think the virtual ones in particular were a necessity during that time, but we are glad to have those behind us. Music, dance, art, singing – these are all super interactive and kids get more out of it from an in-person event.
Also, we rely heavily on Mother Nature blessing us with good weather. Our first year, it poured down rain until about 3AM the day-of. We got to the park and said, “Well, I guess it will be a little bit like a kids’ Woodstock.” and it was. The kids danced in the puddles and had a great time, but needless to say, we always hope for clear skies.
The struggle of fundraising is always there, too. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit, and because our Board serves without compensation, 100% of the funds raised goes towards putting on HKDM events and the small operational items we need. We strive to keep the festival free because we do not want to limit people attending based on financial need, which means we are constantly looking for individual and larger sponsors to help us keep our mission going. The benefits of what we provide have been told to us time and time again: parents tell us stories of their kids wanting to take up an instrument or a class after experiencing them at HKDM, organizations in our Creative Zone tell us how they have expanded their programming into different schools following connections made at the festival, and more. We are very resourceful with the funds we have, but still it would be great for the community to remember that a free festival is not free to put on, and those who believe in and can donate to our mission help keep it going.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
For me personally, HKDM is a labor of love/something I do “on the side”. I work in the oil and gas industry, and my passion is music. I used to teach early childhood music classes for kids and their adult loved ones, and I wanted parents to rediscover their love of play and love of the arts, which is how the idea of HKDM came about. HKDM is truly unique. Where else can you hear AndyRoo, Tom’s Fun Band, and Uncle Jumbo, followed by the amazing blues guitarist Jonn del Toro Richardson, mixed in with the Houston Symphony, Institute for Contemporary Dance, HITS Theatre, and more? Where else can you play a saxophone, try your hand at digital sound boards, and sing with esteemed opera singers? Each booth in the Creative Zone has an activity for attendees to, which range from coloring pages to making your own instrument. The interactivity of the festival sets it apart from anything else you can find for families in Houston.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Delegating and being ok with how others do the job when I delegate. A festival the size of HKDM simply cannot happen with one person doing all the work. It takes a committed Board who is trusted and aligned with the mission, and for sure right now we have that.
Pricing:
- Free
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.heightskidsdayofmusic.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hkdmhtown
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heightskidsdayofmusic
Image Credits
HKDM
