Local DJ Overcomes Obstacles To Found Music Festival

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TEXARKANA — Regardless of a lifetime of hardships, Common Vibe music pageant founder Colton Foltz seems outdoors himself, dwelling a lifetime of service.

Centered round holistic shops and therapeutic, Common Vibe is the end result of Foltz’s technique of turning obstacles into blessings multiplied for the group to take pleasure in.

“We created the Vibe as a result of we noticed the significance of bringing the group collectively, particularly throughout the instances we confronted in 2020. We additionally needed to construct up the holistic/non secular/inventive group right here in Texarkana, particularly since most of our beliefs or practices are thought-about ‘taboo,'” he mentioned.

Foltz was born and raised in Hooks, Texas, the place he was cared for by his mom, who suffered from dependancy and poverty after dropping her job. Though Foltz additionally turned hooked on medication on the age of 13, he graduated from highschool in 2011.

A lung situation requiring surgical procedure delayed his plans to affix the Navy, and whereas he waited, he turned a father. A 12 months later, he watched his daughter take her first steps on the airport as he was leaving to board the airplane for boot camp. Foltz accomplished fundamental coaching on the high of his class, and after efficiently serving obtained an honorable discharge. He was additionally recognized with post-traumatic stress dysfunction.

After coming again to civilian life, he labored at Journeys shoe retailer in Central Mall and located consolation there for a time. The job allowed him to acclimate again into the world of each day duties, not coaching drills and navy jargon.

“I went from half time to supervisor of the 12 months in two years. I actually loved working at Journeys post-Navy as a result of it gave me a possibility to discover and specific my new (post-military) self,” he mentioned.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Foltz discovered the mall could be closing quickly. Then on March 7, 2020, “certainly one of my prospects adopted me residence after work and robbed me at gunpoint. I solely knew he was a buyer as a result of I offered him the sneakers on his toes actually three days beforehand,” he mentioned.

Sufficient was sufficient. Foltz gave his two weeks’ discover and was knowledgeable he had received supervisor of the 12 months. He nonetheless give up.

“As a substitute of staying in a promising profession, taking the awards, promotions and whatnot, I made a decision to show all of it down and take an opportunity figuring it out,” he mentioned. “I made a decision I’d by no means work for another person once more. … The pandemic blessed me with the funds and time to discover what I needed to do shifting ahead.”

He took this era to give attention to holistic therapies for himself, his household and buddies. By means of various medicines, Foltz discovered peace and sobriety and was capable of focus and fulfill his mission to assist others, he mentioned.

The pandemic after all had unfavorable results, as properly.

“Nobody was gathering. All the pieces was nonetheless very divided. That is when Common Vibe got here round,” Foltz mentioned.

Foltz’s mission for Common Vibe is to create a secure setting the place the group can come collectively to heal, evolve, and thrive via music, artwork and holistic well being. The pageant is free because of sponsorships and quite a few distributors, volunteers and artists who work on the occasion. Though the turnout for Common Vibe has elevated annually, the occasion has but to show a revenue.

Foltz, his spouse, Cassie Crabbe, and his brother Andrew Foltz have put within the work to make the occasion a hit.

“I actually walked door-to-door to like-minded companies and mentioned, ‘Hey, that is my concept for our group. I wish to maintain it free. Are you able to donate or sponsor us?’ And actually nobody mentioned no,” he mentioned.

Common Vibe went from 20 distributors the primary 12 months to 75 the second 12 months and grew from 10 artists to twenty artists. Common Vibe has additionally hosted two live shows at Hopkins Ice Home in downtown Texarkana, Arkansas. The primary present was Constructing Up Chef Keys, which raised $250 to help with shopping for a brand new meals truck for a buddy, and the second was The Joe Present.

“We raised over $1,000 for our buddy who has been wrongfully incarcerated for the final two years and was getting launched from jail. It was an enormous success,” he mentioned.

Common Vibe additionally helped arrange one other Constructing Up Chef Keys live performance March 27 at The Dapper at Park Place. There have been about 12 distributors and three performing artists, and over $1,100 was raised for Chef Keys.

Common Vibe has added an choice on their web site the place folks can submit requests for help.

“We wish to use our platform and following to assist construct the group up by different folks locally. If somebody has a difficulty, then we are going to use all of our sources to assist,” he mentioned.

Not too long ago, Foltz expanded his ventures to create Taboo Texarkana, an umbrella group for all of the occasions he intends to host within the Texarkana space.

“I’ve plans to host tattoo conventions and different festivals or occasions with Taboo. UV has its model and focused viewers, so in a means it is restricted. Taboo is not constrained. It may be for everybody,” he mentioned.

Foltz mentioned the toughest half thus far has been discovering work-life steadiness — avoiding turning into obsessive with Common Vibe to the purpose that it overcomes his private life.

“I am studying on a regular basis to decelerate, shut my laptop computer, and be right here the place I am wanted most, with my household,” he mentioned.

Each Common Vibe and Taboo Texarkana are permitting Foltz to comply with his dream of being a household man and serving to these locally with related pursuits. The optimistic impact the pageant has on those that attend has been probably the most rewarding facet for Foltz thus far.

“I hear tales of how UV impressed somebody to start out a enterprise or create extra music and artwork,” he mentioned. “I hear tales about folks connecting or reconnecting with family members. The tales of bridging completely different folks’s worlds collectively is what fuels me to maintain going. I do know individuals are attending UV and discovering the assistance or group they want.”