FLINT, MI -- The sound of music filled Flint’s Carriage Town neighborhood Saturday night with the return of Good Bean Cafe’s Goodstock festival.
The festival brought four musical performances to its stage behind the cafe on Sept. 10 from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Performers included Curfews, Je Suis Venu Voir, The Flint School of Performing Arts and Professor Joe Wright and Friends.
Around the festival, vendors sold food and other goods. Food vendors included Spectacular Spudz, Yvette’s Tacos and The Local Grocer. Good Bean Cafe remained open during the festival selling coffee.
Vendors near the stage were all from Carriage Town including Flint Candle Company, Smith and Stone Studio, Rootless Coffee Company and Recycle Bike Shop and Mobile Bike Repair.
The festival was started in 2003 by Good Beans Cafe owner Ken Van Wagoner. For the first 9 years of Goodstock, Van Wagoner personally funded the event.
“I wanted to create a community space, create a place where everyone can be welcome,” Van Wagoner said. “I wanted to boost my neighborhood.”
Van Wagoner decided to stop hosting the event until Goodstock could find an official sponsor. The festival returned in 2019 after the Greater Flint Arts Council’s Parade of Festivals reached out to sponsor it.
Many of the people that help put on the festival have been long time members of the Good Bean community.
Teagan Austin-Hultz, who has been a Good Beans regular for the last 15 years, has volunteered at the last four Goodstock festivals.
“It’s a lot of fun to just be involved with these community events,” Austin-Hultz said.
Ray Sinclair, another person who has helped put on the festival, began volunteering at the very first Goodstock in 2003.
“It seems to progress,” Sinclair said. “More people are coming and enjoying it, supporting people that live in the neighborhood and their artistry.”