For the past five years, Labor Day weekend in Atlanta has signaled the arrival of House in the Park, a family-friendly outdoor music festival for lovers of house, afrobeat, and soulful dance music. Though it continues to swell each year, House in the Park is still a largely under-the-radar event in Atlanta, mainly because it caters to such a niche audience.

Loyal fans of Atlanta DJs Ramon Rawsoul, DJ Kemit, Salah Ananse, and Kai Alce – the fantastic foursome behind House in the Park – have been there since the beginning. House in the Park 2010 promises to be the largest yet, as word about the good vibes and sounds the event unfailingly delivers continues to spread beyond Atlanta’s close-knit house music family.

I sat down with DJ Kai Alce to get some insight on how House in the Park has evolved since its genesis, and what’s on tap for House in the Park 2010.

So, how long have you been a DJ? How did you get your start?
Aw, man. I bought my first turntables in ‘83. But I’ve been DJing professionally since ‘92. I’ve always been into music, though. I listen to a little bit of everything. My parents were Haitian, so I grew up listening to soca and all that. Growing up in New York at that time, it was like during the creation of hip hop and disco. My Dad was a jazz aficionado, and he was really into audio hi-fi equipment. So I guess that’s where I got an affinity for both the music and the equipment.

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This La...
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My imagination gets away from me sometimes, but when I think about heaping mounds of delicious Maine lobster, I can’t help but add the unsightly details: murky gray skies, a crusty old fishing boat ribbed with barnacles, and a peg-legged fisherman long in the grips of aqua-dementia. What the heck, let’s give’em a cyborg arm too!

That’s my idea of Maine lobster festival, but thankfully for all of us, come September, Southern California has another idea entirely. September is officially “Lobster Month” in South Cali, and they’re celebrating in grand style with three lobster-packed festivals from Long Beach to Redondo. Here’s our sneak peek at them all:

Long Beach Lobster Festival
Dates: September 10-12, 2010
Location: Rainbow Lagoon, Shoreline Village Drive, Long Beach, CA
Admission: $13 General Admission, $25-50 with Lobster Feast

Declaring itself the largest lobster festival outside of Maine, the Long Beach Lobster Festival certainly isn’t short on things to see and do. Along with the signature Lobster Feast (paid in advance by your choice of ticket), the fest boasts loads of additional concessions, live concert stages, dancing and an entertainment stage just for the little ones. Stroll up to a bar … right on the beach!

Saturday, August 28 – Fes...
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