From relaxer to natural and silk press to afro, the first Indy Hair Show Extravaganza will be showcasing every kink, coil and hair type attendees can imagine.
The extravaganza will also host premium vendors, classes, demos, musical performances and more.
Attendees can participate in the “Hair Wars Beyond the Galaxy” hair competition with a grand prize of $5,000.
The Hair Show Extravaganza, which has been in the works since 2006, has finally come to fruition for Arthur “Peanut” Harris, a cosmetologist with over 30 years of experience.
“In 2006, I decided to go to the Walker building and talk to them about doing a hair show such as this one,” said Harris. “All the stars were not in alignment, and it just did not happen.”
Although the stars did not align then, Harris did not give up on his vision. Seventeen years later, his vision is coming to life. Crediting his team, Harris said that putting on an event like this requires money, knowledgeable resources and a good committee of people.
“I could not have possibly pulled this off by myself. I have eight people that are behind me that are going in different directions that are pulling this thing off,” said Harris.
Harris’ dedication to this event stems from his passion for progressing the cosmetology scene in Indiana.
“Because I feel so passionate about the cosmetology industry and where I want us to go in the state of Indiana, I felt that this was necessary,” said Harris.
Given its history, the Madam Walker Legacy Center is a fitting venue to showcase hair and entrepreneurship. Standing tall on Indiana Avenue, the Madam C.J. Walker Legacy Center was built in 1927. The building started off as a manufacturing plant for Madam C.J. Walker Hair Care and Beauty Products and is now a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the community and beyond.
“I felt like Indianapolis needed a connection to the Madam C.J. Walker Building. They need to know that this building stands for something. So, I talked to them about connecting stylists and barbers to some place they could call home,” said Harris.
Kristian Little, president of the Madam Walker Legacy Center, emphasized the importance of the Center’s connection to Harris’ endeavor.
“What we’re striving to do is to intentionally uplift her [Madam C.J. Walker’s] legacy. What better way to uplift her legacy than hosting an event around how she started,” said Little. “We have not done anything in beauty, so this is a perfect partnership.”
The two-day Indy Hair Show Extravaganza is Sept. 16-17 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. The event will host a “Back to Our Roots” concert Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com.
Contact staff writer Braxton Babb at (317) 762-7854 or by email at BraxtonB@IndyRecorder.com. Follow her on Twitter @BLIEVESHEWRITES. For more news from the Indianapolis Recorder, click here.
