Syncopate is a 2-day DIY festival rooted in rhythm, culture, identity, and connection — spotlighting artists who reflect both Denver and the identities we all embody beyond the city. Diversity exists here, but its not often visibile looking at the programming within our major cultural institutions. In music, syncopation occurs when rhythmic emphasis lands on unexpected beats instead of directly within the song’s pulse. Its the groove felt in music across jazz, funk, soul, cumbia, house, disco, techno, and many other styles. These genres all share a rhythmic identity that emerged from West/Central Africa and Indigenous communities across the Americas. There aren’t many