Countdown To Diversafest

Thursday, July 26th 2007, 9:00 pm

By: News On 6

The countdown to D-Fest is on! Thousands are expected to converge on downtown Tulsa Friday night for the state's largest music festival. This is the sixth year for Diversafest, itâ€™s a two-day music festival and conference featuring unsigned artists and headliners, like the Flaming Lips. The News On 6â€™s Ashli Sims reports the big stage is up, the bands are checking in and D-Fest is ready to rock.

Crews are rolling in equipment, bolting down the stage, and laying the groundwork for tents all to turn a downtown parking lot into a major music venue.

"I am so excited that it's finally here. We've been planning this for a really long time now,â€ event coordinator Jen Clark said. â€œTo be here at the Blue Dome and get to see everything come together, the main festival stage now up and running it's fantastic."

D-Fest is two days of 150 bands representing 20 different genres of music in 13 venues.

"There is something for everyone, whether you're 15 to 75 there's some kind of music that you will enjoy out here," Clark said.

This seems to be the year that D-Fest grows up. After six years it's drawing major bands like the Flaming Lips, and it's moved into the heart of downtown.

"It's been growing for the last five years, but it's taken such a giant jump, a leap ahead. It's amazing, it's really exciting,â€ production manager Davit Souders said.

The festival is not just entertainment, but education on the music biz. The Downtown Doubletree will host panel discussions on everything from songwriting to publicity, and the stage will feature local talent right along with the chart toppers.

"We mix unsigned artists with artists that have already made it in the industry,â€ said Clark. â€œWe do that so the unsigned artists have a platform to get discovered."

Friday night organizers hope the parking lot will be full of people, and the Flaming Lips will be taking the stage. Gates open at 6 p.m.

For more information on D-Fest, click here.

Watch the video: D-Fest Is Ready To Rock