Rickey Head
Organizer Rickey Head sets delayed festival for Labor Day weekend
RICH LOPEZ | Contributing Writer
richlopezwrites@gmail.com
For more than a year, Rickey Head’s dreams have been set in the gaybohood. With a career in hospitality and nightlife, he’s served countless people as a waiter, a bartender and general manager. His dream is to now flip that script, and he is taking a two-pronged approach.
He and his Black Sheep Hospitality Group are looking to put some Pride back into the Gayborhood, and they planned to kick that off with Trick, the Mini Fest, a three-day festival in the heart of Cedar Springs featuring a lineup of drag performances, DJ sets, a mini-pageant and more.
Head had originally planned the festival for Pride weekend, the first weekend in June. But due to the near-constant rain that plagued the first of the month, he decided to push the event out to Labor Day Weekend. But that just gives him extra time to plan.
Head said he is working to create a well-rounded and diverse event that can appeal to everyone. He was particular about DJ styles and wanted a variety of music (save for country since “The Round-Up has that covered,”) different vendors and games and contests for people to enjoy.
“I want everyone to come there whether they are 21 or 61,” he said.
Trick the Mini-Fest will be held in the lot between Bank of America and Woody’s. Head said he is partnering with the property owner for the event and that he plans to eventually build a restaurant — also to be called Trick — on that site.
“‘Trick’ is a lifestyle of going to fancy restaurants and taking those food pics for Instagram, but you don’t see those places on the strip,” Head said. “Since Dish closed, there hasn’t been an elevated food scene here, and I just want to bring that back, ultimately. But you will still see events like this in the space.”
Thus, the festival is Head’s coming out party, although he’s a familiar name among the nightlife and dining scenes with stints at the original Brick, the Don’t Tell Supper Club, Felix Culpa and others.
Trick the Mini Fest will also raise funds to benefit Access and Information Network (AIN). Profits made by carnival games at the festival will be matched and donated to the nonprofit healthcare resource for persons living with HIV.
“On top of having a space to celebrate Pride, it just made sense to give back to my community,” Head said, adding that he feels the time is right both to create this event and to begin the work necessary to open his restaurant.
“Sometimes it’s been so hard to grow in this industry. I have been doing nightlife and restaurant operations since 18. At some point, you have to elevate to the next level,” he said. “Now I feel like I’m tenured, and I want to bring my concepts and ideas to the world.”
And his belief in giving back also extends to his career. Throughout those restaurant and nightclub days, he said, he was given opportunities to advance. Now it’s his turn to give others those opportunities.
“As you get older in this business, you either get out, or you start owning shit. Now, I’ll be able to give people chances to rise like I did.”
