The RiffRaff Arts Collective

10/13/2026

Hey songwriters! ✍️🎶

Last week’s Songwriters Circle kickoff was totally delightful… we even started writing a song together!

Whether you’re just beginning or well along in your songwriting journey, join us tonight and every Tuesday, 5–7 PM, at The Dream Bean for a creative space to share and listen, find camaraderie, exchange feedback (if you’d like it!), and explore possibilities for collaboration.

Grab a yummy autumn drink (Pumpkin Patch Latte, anyone?) and enjoy an evening of creating together. 🍂☕

10/08/2026

🎬🌈 “You Are Not Alone,” by Allen Kade, is the newest music video in our “We Need to Talk” series, a project using music videos and docushorts to uplift stories, build bridges, and stoke community dialogue.

Allen offers this song and video to anyone who has ever felt unloved, unsupported, or less than. If you or someone you know needs a message of hope, this is for you.

🗣️ Join us Thursday, October 22, for an in-person docushort premiere and community conversation, open to everyone. We’ll explore the inspiration, stories, and message behind the music and make space to listen, connect, get to know one another, and build community.

Watch, share, and help this message reach someone who needs it. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

10/05/2026

🧟 Calling local businesses & organizations! Be part of a beloved Princeton Halloween tradition at Mercer Monster Mash!

Join us on Mercer Street to hand out treats on Saturday, October 31, from 6–8 PM. There’s no charge to participate! 🎃

To reserve your spot, call (304) 320-8833 or email [email protected].

10/05/2026

We Need to Talk returns. 💛

🎬 “You Are Not Alone,” by Allen Kade, premieres online this Thursday, October 8, at 11 AM here on Facebook!

The video is part of our “We Need to Talk” series, using music videos and docushorts to uplift stories, build bridges, and stoke community dialogue.

“You Are Not Alone” carries a message of love, connection, belonging, and hope. We’re so grateful to everyone who brought their heart and spirit to this video, and we're excited to share it with you. 🌈

🗣️Save the date for Thursday, October 22 at 7pm, when we’ll gather for an in-person docushort premiere and community conversation, open to everyone. Together, we’ll explore the stories and inspiration behind the music and videos, and make space to listen, connect, and get to know one another. More details to come!

Help us spread the word, and join us online Thursday. 💛

10/03/2026

What an incredible season of music, creativity and community it has been. 💛🎶

Last night, we put a big exclamation point on our First Friday Concerts in the Square season, and while we wait for the photos from that beautiful evening, we’ve been looking back at another pretty extraordinary gathering from just a few weeks ago... Culturefest World Music & Arts Festival.

We love the way music brings people together, and we’re so grateful for everyone who believes in that too and joins forces with us to make it all happen.

Today, we want to send a special thank you to Levitt Family Foundation for supporting Culturefest!! Levitt partners with changemakers and nonprofits in towns and cities across America to create joyful, inclusive destinations where the power of free, live music brings people together of all ages and backgrounds, creating healthy, connected, and thriving communities. Learn more: levitt.org

We’re deeply grateful to Levitt, and to all of the sponsors, funders, partners, local businesses, artists, volunteers and community members who helped us fill downtown Princeton with free live music, creativity and connection all season long.

There’s plenty more creativity and community ahead this fall and winter, but for now, we’re taking a moment to celebrate this beautiful season of gathering together through music. 💛

Hit play and take a little trip back to Culturefest with us. 🌎🎶

🎥 Video by Eric Proffit

10/03/2026

🎶 Tonight we’re celebrating our neighborhood and giving the First Friday concert season a big sendoff! And just look at what our Mercer Street neighbors have going on… 💛

Our awesome Princeton Public Library is helping kids find new-to-them Halloween costumes at the Great Costume Swap from 1–6 PM, AND launching a ghostly scavenger hunt that continues through October 15! 👻

At The Emporium, it’s Drift Night from 6–9 PM...come discover the fun of RC drifting! 🏁 Hammer & Stain is throwing a Halloween party for creating concrete porch geese at 6 PM, one of the seemingly endless ways to make something creative there. And Allan Dale Sizemore brings live music to Number 9 Brewing Company at 6:30 PM!

Make an evening of it: explore our wonderfully unique shops and galleries, grab coffee or tea at one of our fabulous beverage stops, meet friends for dinner at Q 38 or another local favorite, then gather under the evening sky for our FREE First Friday Season Finale with Option 22 & Old Soul Reunion, 6–9 PM in Town Square! Bring a chair or blanket, browse local vendors like The Gaia Den, and let the kids get creative with free crafts from Rainbow Art Farms. 💛

📸 Click the photos for event details—and visit the Things to Do page at https://grassrootsdistrict.com/things-to-do to see how much there is to explore any day.

The outdoor concert season may be wrapping up, but this creative neighborhood keeps going. Come celebrate with us! 🍂 See less

10/01/2026

Tomorrow’s 🎶 First Friday Season Finale kicks off a full month of creativity with RiffRaff & The Dream Bean! Save this October calendar, share it, and join us when you can. ✨

Join Option 22 & Old Soul Reunion tomorrow, October 2, in Town Square from 6–9 PM for FREE live music, kids’ crafts with Rainbow Art Farms, and artisan vendors. Also catch Allan Dale Sizemore at Number 9 and creativity throughout the Grassroots District!

October also brings a special Kinney McKinney showcase to launch our weekly Songwriters Circle, the return of “We Need to Talk” with Allen Kade’s “You Are Not Alone,” and a spooky finish with 🧛‍♀️ Mercer Monster Mash on Halloween!

Plus, our weekly gatherings keep the creativity and connection flowing. We’d love to share some of October with you. 🧡

09/29/2026

There’s a lot of life happening around RiffRaff & The Dream Bean as we head into October! 💛

Tonight, we’re gathering for 🌳 Dreaming Circles: A Space for Vision, Connection, and Possibility...a welcoming space for anyone with a vision, a spark of an idea, or simply a desire to imagine what could make our community even better. Come find connection, encouragement, and people who can help ideas grow. 🌱

This Friday, October 2, we’re giving the 🎶 First Friday Season a big sendoff! Join Option 22 and Old Soul Reunion in Town Square from 6–9 PM for a free concert, kids’ crafts, artisan vendors, and an evening downtown.

And our weekly gatherings keep the creativity flowing: Open Stage on Mondays, Writers Circle on Thursdays, and a brand-new Songwriters Circle on Tuesdays from 5–7 PM at The Dream Bean! We’ll launch Songwriters Circle on October 6 with a special featured songwriter showcase by Kinney McKinney, co-founder of Stages Music School, returning to the space where she grew up. Stay tuned for more details later this week.

There’s more on the way next month, including the online premiere of "You Are Not Alone," by Allen Kade, part of our "We Need to Talk" series, an in-person docushort premiere, and 🧛‍♀️ Mercer Monster Mash on Halloween. We’ll share the full October calendar tomorrow. For now, we hope to see you tonight! 💛

09/20/2026

One week ago today, we were wrapping up Culturefest 2026...the sweetest expression of community, creativity and connection.

These are just a few of our favorite captures by Eric Proffit that so beautifully reflect the spirit of the experience. 📸✨

Now that we’ve had a little time to catch our breath and reflect, we’d love to hear from YOU.

If you were there, tell us in the comments: What were your favorite moments and highlights? What did you love most? And what are your hopes and wishes for next year? 🎪💭

We take your thoughts to heart as we dream and plan for the next Culturefest, so let us know what you’d love to see added, expanded or experienced again!

And if you missed Culturefest, or you’re just not quite ready for festival season to be over, join us for our final First Friday of the season October 2! We’ll put one last big exclamation point on this fantastic season before we head toward the new year. 🎶✨

Drop your Culturefest reflections below. We’re listening! 👇💛

09/17/2026