Stomping Grounds Music and Film Festival debuts June 13-14 in Columbia, S.C.

For one weekend only, a former glass warehouse slated for demolition will become one of Columbia’s most unique cultural destinations. Stomping Grounds, a new two-day music and film festival, will debut June 13-14 at 2022 Marion St., transforming the industrial site at the corner of Elmwood Avenue and Bull Street into a vibrant hub for live music, independent film, visual art, food and community gathering.

Presented by KAYelle Creative, Folktech, The Jasper Project and Reel Vantage Films, the inaugural festival will bring together local and regional musicians, filmmakers and artists. Designed as an annual event, Stomping Grounds will activate a different venue each year, transforming unexpected spaces into temporary cultural destinations that showcase both creative talent and the unique character of Columbia’s neighborhoods. The festival will also feature food, beverages and local vendors in collaboration with Soda City Market, as well as an afterparty on Saturday evening presented by Folktech.

“Stomping Grounds is about creating meaningful cultural experiences that bring people together through creativity and place,” said Bakari Lebby, one of the festival’s organizers and co-founder & creative director of KAYelle Creative. “By activating walkable public spaces and showcasing local and regional artists and filmmakers, the event aims to strengthen community interaction, support local creatives and encourage people to experience Columbia in a more connected and human-centered way.”

EVENT SCHEDULE

DAY 1: Music Day — Saturday, June 13, 2026

Day one will feature a variety of local, regional and national music acts, as well as an afterparty presented by Folktech. Gates open at 11 a.m.

The music lineup includes:

• Lola Grace and the Night — Noon

Singer-songwriter Lola Grace brings energetic performances and a commanding stage presence, pulling from pop, soul, folk, rock, country, jazz and more. She performs as a duo with guitarist Julien Kaprino and with the band Lola Grace & the Night.

• KIMBER — 12:40 p.m.

Based in Columbia, S.C., KIMBER is an emerging progressive rock band that blends the talents of five seasoned musicians to create music marked by complexity, passion and bold creativity. Fronted by Kimber Carpenter, founder of the recent Amplifi-HER music festival and collective.

• Hillmouse — 1:25 p.m.

Hillmouse is an indie rock project fronted by Tyler Gordon from Columbia, S.C. with a recent album release and active local performance presence.

• H3RO — 2:10 p.m.

Born Justin Daniels, H3RO has been building a name in the underground Carolina music scene since his first studio mixtape in 2010. His work is rooted in hip-hop lyricism, poetry and genre-crossing influences. H3RO is bringing his backup band, “The Villains,” a rotating group of collaborators and friends in the local and regional music space.

• Alan Charmer — 2:55 p.m.

Alan Charmer is a Charlotte, N.C. artist and DJ, with music on Bandcamp and a regular DJ set schedule. Solo project of Terrence Richard, lead singer of Charlotte indie veterans Junior Astronomers.

• Colette March — 3:40 p.m.

Fueled by suburban Pennsylvania and based in Brooklyn, N.Y., Colette March is a 26-year-old independent pop artist drawn to provocative lyricism and an evolving sonic palette. After coming of age with indie-leading projects like Romanticopia (the single “How To Be Bashful” landing on KCRW’s 30 favorites of 2024), her viral 2025 single FRANCO sparked a reinvention that contends with her upbringing as a doll in the suburbs through the lens of a heavier electronic sound.

• Death Ray Robin — 4:25 p.m.

Death Ray Robin is an Alt-R&B act featuring Black-Korean vocalist Desirée Richardson and a rotating cast of instrumentals from Columbia, S.C. Richardson is known for a mellifluous soprano and poetic pop sensibilities while moving between genres.

• Soda City Brass Band — 5:20 p.m.

Soda City Brass Band performs traditional to contemporary New Orleans brass band music, bringing high-energy NOLA brass and second-line spirit to Columbia audiences.

• Preach Jacobs — 6:15 p.m.

Writer, hip-hop artist and activist Preach Jacobs hosts The Negro League, a weekly show focused on Black America, hip-hop culture, sports and more.

• MIDS — 7:10 p.m.

MIDS is a Columbia, S.C. rock band with a Bandcamp catalog, including Prescription Mids, BIG PIGS 2, Bush Gardens, Mission Accomplished and Wellness Check. MIDS is releasing their debut full-length eponymous album on June 12, the day before the festival.

• MASTER SPLNTA — 8:05 p.m.

MASTER SPLNTA is a Columbia, S.C. based recording artist and independent hip-hop performer. High-energy veteran of the scene. He said he’s wanting to see “how big I can go” in reference to this performance.

• Stankface — 9 p.m.

Stankface is a neo-soul and funk-hop music group based on out Columbia, S.C. with soulful vocals leading a groove-driven sound.

• After Party — 10 p.m.

A Saturday night afterparty presented by Folktech, a multidisciplinary music collective, will take place inside the warehouse.

DAY 2: Film Day — Sunday, June 14, 2026

Day two, presented by The Jasper Project and Reel Vantage Films, will feature independent film screenings, filmmaker showcases and art installations. Doors open at 2 p.m.

Film Screenings and Talk Backs — 2-7 p.m.

The Jasper Project’s Second Act Film Festival winners will present in blocks with Bakari Lebby moderating talkbacks.

The Second Act Film Project is an annual event founded in 2013 and hosted by The Jasper Project. Committed to creating films and publishing scripts from South Carolinian filmmakers, the project was created as “a way to bring independent filmmakers in the midlands of South Carolina together under the umbrella of one project.” This year, the Second Act Film Project has opened submissions on June 6, and they will be open until September 3, 2026.

The film speaker lineup includes:

• William Nicholas Clay

William Nicholas Clay is the founder of Reel Vantage Films and an award-winning filmmaker whose recent work includes directing the 2025 short film “Beautiful Confusion” for Jasper’s 2nd Act Film Project. He has also directed music videos for several South Carolina artists, including E.Z. Shakes and H3RO.

• PAtx

PATx is a Columbia-based multidisciplinary artist whose work spans hip-hop, illustration, animation, education and filmmaking. Known for his creative versatility, he has become a prominent voice in the city’s arts and culture scene.

• Amy Brower

Amy Brower is a South Carolina-based casting director, filmmaker and talent agent with extensive experience in the film industry. Her credits include work on Clay’s 2020 feature film “Party Hard.”

• Wade Sellers

Wade Sellers is the president of the Jasper Project board and founder of Coal Powered Filmworks, the lead of the Second Act Film Festival.

Information on the Second Act Film Festival winning films that will be screening can be found at https://stompinggroundsmusicfestival.com/films.

Feature Film — 7 p.m.

The feature film, Pater Noster and the Mission of Light, will have its Columbia, S.C. debut. There will be a talkback immediately following with the film’s director, Christopher Bickel.

“Some of the best experiences happen when people step outside of their routine and into something unexpected,” said Francisco da Silva, one of the festival’s organizers and a member of Folk Tech. “Stomping Grounds is about transforming a space, bringing different creative communities together and creating the kind of energy that can only happen when music, film, art and people collide.”

Save $10 by purchasing festival tickets online in advance. Presale tickets range from $16 for afterparty admission to $50 for VIP access, which includes both festival days and the afterparty. Day-of-event tickets will be available for purchase at the door.

The festival will be located at 2022 Marion St. in downtown Columbia. The festival’s main stage will be located outdoors in the warehouse lot. To learn more and purchase tickets, visit https://stompinggroundsmusicfestival.com/tickets.

 

About Stomping Grounds

Stomping Grounds is a two-day festival with the mission of amplifying regional voices in music and film. The festival is an annual platform for independent work in music, film and art, and promotes physical interaction with the urban fabric through walkable, pedestrian-friendly installation of temporary venues during the two-day event, June 13 and 14, 2026. To learn more, visit stompinggroundsmusicfestival.com/.