The Community Edition<p><strong>TURNING IT UP UNDER THE BRIDGE WITH JESS NUNES</strong></p><p>The most recent Under the Bridge (UtB) event took place on Aug. 5, from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The community-driven event series is free, with suggested donations of $10 per person, and is open to attendees of all ages. Local DJ’s play energetic sets in a variety of genres, from house to trance to afrobeats. </p><p>UtB is organised by Jess Nunes, a DJ and musician. Nunes began putting on the events in May 2023, inviting her Instagram followers to the free event. </p><p>“There were only nine attendees that showed up,” Nunes said. “And then it just grew and grew. Even the following dance, we had twenty or so.” </p><p>By August of that year, they had almost two hundred attendees. </p><p>Nunes is an avid cyclist, first discovering the bridge while cycling a popular trail. The natural beauty of the surroundings—and a striking piece of graffiti, reading “Live Unlike Another”, inspired Nunes. </p><p>“I just sort of felt that, you know, we are living unlike another. We’re going to do something outside of the mould of this Southern Ontario grind that we all feel stuck in,” she said. </p><p>Nunes credits the space with giving UtB its unique energy and spirit. </p><p>“If it’s raining, we’re still protected by the bridge. The bridge itself is symbolic, it’s protection of the community,” she said. </p><p>The renegade, inclusive component of putting on donation-based dance events under a public bridge undoubtedly informs UtB’s communal atmosphere. </p><p>Nunes draws comparison with the original notion of raves in the 80s and 90s, grassroots events held in abandoned factories and open fields that encouraged free expression. This exciting, alternative use of public space has been central for UtB’s appeal. </p><p>Initially Nunes did not apply for a permit for UtB, believing that Kitchener council would not allow the events to go forward. </p><p>“They don’t want us to express ourselves in these ways. This is me sticking it to the man and saying: look what I can do,” she said. </p><p>Nunes has a deep appreciation of the transformative effect of music—she originally moved to Kitchener in 2014 to study Music Therapy at Wilfrid Laurier University. Coming from Thunder Bay, Nunes was initially surprised by the cultural conformity of the music scene in KW. </p><p>Gradually however—especially since the pandemic—she has seen community-driven events, with alternative forms of music, become more active and popular. </p><p>Nunes has been overwhelmed by the impact of the UtB and believes the positive energy the event series has brought to the community has been brought back. </p><p>“I just want to inspire people, even though you feel down and out—our culture here is just so fast paced, and we’re not really taking time to break out of moods, think for ourselves. I use Under the Bridge as propulsion towards this, getting through the adversity—we’re reaching for the stars,” Nunes said. </p><p>“Some amazing things have happened since I created Under the Bridge…I found my father after 35 years of not knowing who he was…He came to his first Under the Bridge last August,” she continued. </p><p>The Aug. 5 event landed on Nune’s son birthday—attendees are invited to dress up in animal costumes for the event. </p><p>“It’s just an opportunity to get silly,” Nunes said. “I usually like circus acts and stuff like that for the kids. And like, I would like to celebrate my son’s birthday, and he likes to be an astronaut every year…I love to see people get dressed up.” </p><p>Beginning with a Magic Show, the DJ lineup includes Nunes, Jonny Rocha, Robin Green, Jacobilly, Uncle Doobie and Arsh. A sound installation from local artist Important Hair, titled Used Classical Records, will be played in full, while vendors showcase and sell their artwork. </p><p>For more information, visit <a href="https://www.instagram.com/underthebridge_dance" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@Underthebridge_dance on Instagram</a>. </p><p><a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.communityedition.ca/tag/arsh-a/" target="_blank">#arshA</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.communityedition.ca/tag/astronaut/" target="_blank">#astronaut</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.communityedition.ca/tag/inspiration/" target="_blank">#inspiration</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.communityedition.ca/tag/jacobilly/" target="_blank">#jacobilly</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.communityedition.ca/tag/jess-nunes/" target="_blank">#jessNunes</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.communityedition.ca/tag/jonny-rocha/" target="_blank">#jonnyRocha</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.communityedition.ca/tag/josh-milton-bell/" target="_blank">#JoshMiltonBell</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.communityedition.ca/tag/live-unlike-another/" target="_blank">#liveUnlikeAnother</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.communityedition.ca/tag/local-art/" target="_blank">#LocalArt</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.communityedition.ca/tag/local-djs/" target="_blank">#localDjs</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.communityedition.ca/tag/local-music/" target="_blank">#localMusic</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.communityedition.ca/tag/magic-show/" target="_blank">#magicShow</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.communityedition.ca/tag/robin-green/" target="_blank">#robinGreen</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.communityedition.ca/tag/southern-ontario/" target="_blank">#SouthernOntario</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.communityedition.ca/tag/uncle-doobie/" target="_blank">#uncleDoobie</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.communityedition.ca/tag/under-the-bridge/" target="_blank">#underTheBridge</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.communityedition.ca/tag/used-classical-records/" target="_blank">#usedClassicalRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.communityedition.ca/tag/utb/" target="_blank">#UtB</a></p>