Family Fundays and Soular Sundays
A Vibe That Brings Family Together
Every third Sunday starting this July, South Florida will host an event series aiming to redefine family entertainment and community engagement: Family Fundays and Soular Sundays. This initiative, organized by Erace The Hate and Nomi Village, combines free activities for children, like bounce houses and games, with the unique ambiance of live music.
The roots of Soular Sundays trace back to 2012, created by visionaries Jace Henderson and Lyndon Gray, founders of Erace The Hate. Since its inception with the music collective Sou lar Power in DC, Soular Sundays have always aimed to create a family-friendly environment where kids can play and adults can enjoy live music. This vision became a reality again in 2022 when the event series was brought back to Miami, hosting four successful installments at The Joint in Miami.
After a successful run in Miami in 2022, the potential of Soular Sundays became undeniable. The Everyday Praise Toy Drive in December 2023 was a turning point, proving the concept’s effectiveness in bringing communities together to have fun, enjoy live music, and PRAISE. A pivotal phone call from Elijah’s dad in early 2024 led to the event’s relocation to Nomi Village, facilitated by Elijah Hawkins, a former mentee of Lyndon and a managing operator at The Nomi Village. He wanted us to consistently bring the vibe to his venue.
“Me and Lyndon, we go way back. Really great friends. He’s helped me with prior events. We worked together professionally, and I got to see him really build on Soular Sundays when it was at The Joint. Me and my family had a fun family day and I just always thought merging both would always be a good idea. We’ve been doing events for probably about five to six years. So getting access to Nomi village was something that was almost like a dream come true.” -Eli Hawkins
Bringing Back Real Music
At the core of Soular Sundays is a mission to revive authentic, live music. As Lyndon emphasizes:
“The caveat is, with all Soular Sundays events, you have to play with a band. No tracks allowed. Everything’s got to be done with a band. We do have DJs to spin when it comes to performances but no tracks allowed.”
The emphasis on artists performing with a band, as opposed to pre-recorded tracks, makes the Soular Sunday experience unique, helping it fulfill its mission of “bringing back real music.”
“Most artists don’t get the luxury of performing with a live band unless they pay. However, they get to do that for free, with no monetary cost. So, I really think it’s a beautiful thing for the community.” -Eli Hawkins
The Importance of Family-Centric Events
Creating spaces where families can enjoy time together is more crucial than ever. Soular Sundays accomplishes this by blending child-friendly activities with live music that adults can enjoy. As a father, Lyndon’s vision was to ensure that while parents enjoyed the music, their children could play safely nearby.
The Experience
It was different, man. It was fun. I believe everybody could see that I was just just having fun. I just love how we came. It was already set up for us. It was not too much that we had to do but plug in some cords. Soular Power band came, and we rocked out. And when I say Soular Power band, that’s a band that believes in the mission of bringing back real music and not thinking of playing together as a gig more so, thinking of it as a family. And that’s what we were able to curate that day. -James Hopkins
For those curious about the vibe or wanting to get involved, Erace The Hate offers jam sessions to introduce newcomers to the unique sound and spirit of Soular Sundays.
“Family Fundays and Soular Sundays are exactly what our community needs. Had a great time jamming with the band and seeing parents spend time with their kids.” – Delano Williams
Nomi Village is a community-focused arts and entertainment venue that celebrates the diverse cultures and demographics of North Miami. It features a curated blend of art, food, music, shopping, and entertainment. Stay updated with the upcoming events and vibes happening at Nomi by checking them out on instagram @thenomivillage or visiting their website thenomivillage.com
Whether you’re a musician, artist, parent, or child, these events offer something special for everyone. Join us every third Sunday starting in July from 5-10 pm in South Florida and be part of this growing tradition. Together, we can create a space where real music thrives, and families flourish.
