5 Names to Know: Meet Eventbrite’s RECONVENE Accelerator Winners

Eventbrite put out a call to entrepreneurs, innovators, trendsetters, and anyone else interested in building or growing an events business. After sifting through hundreds of event proposals, Eventbrite selected five winners to join the RECONVENE Accelerator, providing direct support to these emerging creators and $10,000 to help fund each winner’s concept.

Who are these talented individuals helping to build community and shape culture while bringing their dream events to life? Eventbrite is excited to introduce the five Eventbrite 2022 Accelerator winners, and to share more details about the incredible dinners, gatherings, comedy festivals, and block parties that they’re creating (all of which, you can attend!) in the coming months.

Syd Suntha, All In Together Now: A 36 Course Wu-Tang Clan Inspired Event

How many of you spent your time baking sourdough and streaming TV shows during the pandemic? Seattle chef and music industry veteran Syd Suntha was busy dreaming up a 36-course meal inspired by hip-hop group The Wu-Tang Clan’s iconic album, “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).” Aiming to “bridge the gap between music, art, and food,” Suntha began taking a mental inventory of the local chefs and creatives he could tap to bring his expansive concept to life.

How can you get in on the action?

This September, Suntha will present All In Together Now (named after a pre-Wu-Tang group that featured RZA, GZA, and Ol’ Dirty Bastard) in Seattle, teaming up with eight local chefs and a mixologist known for his “Wu-tails.” The 36-course meal won’t exclusively be devoted to food — guests will enjoy 18 tasty dishes, nine beverage pairings (including non-alcoholic options), and nine experiences, such as a cellist performing arrangements of Wu-Tang Clan tracks.

Purchase tickets to Syd’s Wu-Tang meal

Larissa “Larz” May, Screen Free Weekend

During her senior year of college, Larissa “Larz” May increasingly found herself cut off from the rest of the world, feeling depressed, and endlessly scrolling through social media feeds, in spite of the success that her packed schedule and Instagram photos projected. This eye-opening experience inspired May to found #HalfTheStory, a nonprofit organization that empowers young people to examine their relationship to social media and consider its effects on their mental health and well-being.

How can you get in on the action?

In October, May will host a Screen Free Weekends event in Los Angeles, featuring an appearance from Swedish professional skateboarder Ali Boulala. Guests will be able to leave their devices at a phone check before taking part in skating lessons, sitting down to doodle with a stranger, or writing letters as part of #HalfTheStory’s advocacy campaign. “We hope to see Screen Free Weekends across the globe as a way to fight loneliness for the next generation,” May says.

Join Larz and ditch your screen for a day

Britt Parrish, Plant.Sip.Vibe

Swipe through Britt Parish’s popular TikTok account, and you’ll see some of the more than 150 plants that fill her house with leaves and vines. In 2021, Britt took her virtual plant parent community IRL with her first-ever Plant.Sip.Vibe event which combined a guided potting session with wine, charcuterie, a DJ, a rare plant raffle, and plenty of time to network with fellow plant-lovers.

How can you get in on the action?

Parish’s acceptance into the RECONVENE Accelerator has enabled her to fine-tune her event concept with the support of Eventbrite’s experts, as she prepares to host Plant.Sip.Vibe in Dallas on September 10. Parrish is also planning a nationwide Plant.Sip.Vibe tour for 2023 and is hoping to bring the event to international cities in the future, connecting with plant enthusiasts around the world. “Plants are universal. Everywhere there is a plant; everywhere there is a plant parent,” Parrish says.

Purchase tickets to plant, sip, and vibe with Britt

Melody Lewis, Indigenous Peoples’ Day Phoenix Fest

Growing up on the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation, Melody Lewis (who is Mojave/Tewa/Hopi) helped found the Indigenous Community Collaborative in 2019. Other projects she’s involved with — such as the upcoming youth-oriented video series“Rezsponse” and the Cohokia artspace in Phoenix — are similarly focused on uplifting marginalized Indigenous voices.

Lewis hopes to make Indigenous Peoples’ Day Phoenix Fest an annual occurrence, attracting Native people from across the United States, as well as anyone who is interested in learning about Indigenous culture. “Everyone that comes and visits gets to learn about [Indigenous people],” Lewis says. “It’s about building, understanding, and increasing awareness.”

How can you get in on the action?

The first Indigenous Peoples’ Day Phoenix Fest will bring Indigenous-owned businesses and vendors to the Roosevelt Row art district in Phoenix on October 10. The free, family-friendly event will feature a skateboard competition organized by Indigenous brand Seven Layer Army and outdoor screenings of Native-made films, presented alongside live music, Native foods, contemporary art, and other activities.

Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day with Melody

Kate McLachlan & Lee Robinson, Camp Dyketopia

Standup comedians Lee Robinson and Kate McLachlan are raising the bar for comedy. In 2021, the pair recognized the need for an inclusive comedy show – “we heard from a lot of friends that don’t enjoy going to comedy shows because their identity is made fun of.” The pair decided to take action and create a more inclusive comedy show for the queer community, dubbed Dyketopia. The concept has since grown into a monthly live show (which regularly sells out in just a few minutes) as well as a podcast.

How can you get in on the action?

For their next act, McLachlan and Robinson are planning a summer camp-themed festival dubbed Camp Dyketopia, bringing attendees to an outdoor venue that will host comedians, musicians, drag performers, and queer vendors alongside activities like speed dating or a friendship bracelet workshop. They are also taking Dyketopia on the road in the coming year, introducing the show to queer communities in cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago.

T ravel to Dyketopia with Kate and Lee

Eventbrite is the only home for these one-of-a-kind experiences, where you can build community, take part in the latest trends, and experience the world.