Born Outside, MyCNTR and Lado’s Internet Join Forces for the Born Outside Picnic at Monroe Park
- Rudy Walker
- Aug 13
- 4 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Born Outside, MyCNTR and Lado’s Internet Join Forces for September 19 Picnic at Monroe Park
The September 19 event will celebrate Richmond’s DJs, creatives, businesses and communities through music, culture, fashion and shared outdoor experiences.
RICHMOND, Va. — Born Outside, MyCNTR – A Creative Space and Lado’s Internet are joining forces to present the Born Outside Picnic on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at Monroe Park in Richmond, Virginia. Designed as more than a music festival, the Born Outside Picnic is a community-centered cultural experience created to bring people together through music, creativity, food, fashion, art and shared experiences. The event will provide an elevated platform for Richmond’s local and emerging DJs while promoting unity, celebrating diversity and supporting the city’s creative economy.
The 18-and-older outdoor experience will feature a strong DJ presence, including multiple hour-long sets from Lado’s Internet, J. Kirvin, Moneá and Leezus. Performances will also be captured and transformed into ongoing digital content highlighting the participating DJs and extending the festival’s impact beyond Monroe Park.
Born Outside aims to establish the picnic as one of Richmond’s signature annual cultural events—a platform where DJs and creatives can be discovered, local vendors and independent businesses can generate new opportunities, and people from different neighborhoods and backgrounds can gather in a safe, positive and welcoming environment.
The organization believes stronger and safer communities begin with meaningful connection. Born Outside promotes peace, positivity, belonging and mutual respect while maintaining zero tolerance for violence, harassment and discrimination.
MyCNTR will serve as the festival’s strategic production and experience partner, supporting creative strategy, marketing, partnerships, community engagement, sponsor fulfillment, beverage operations, content production and the overall guest experience. Located in Richmond’s Arts District, CNTR is the city’s creative home base—a place where artists, entrepreneurs, culture-makers and community members gather to create, connect and grow. CNTR provides access to flexible event and production spaces, creative tools, professional development, cultural programming and a community committed to helping ideas take shape.
Lado’s Internet, which has been building momentum throughout Richmond through imaginative, culture-forward events and community experiences, brings its signature energy and creative perspective to the partnership. Its work connects nightlife, music, fashion, storytelling and community while helping shape new ways for Richmond’s creative scene to gather.
For the Born Outside Picnic, Lado will play a central creative role in shaping both the sound and visual identity of the experience.
“Since I DJ and throw my own events, I’ll be helping shape the overall soundtrack and energy of the event,” said Lado. “I’ll also be creative directing the fashion show portion and helping bring that piece together visually.” For Lado, that creative direction is rooted in something larger than entertainment. “Community is a very big part of what makes me do this. I’m so excited to help create that balance where the Picnic still feels like a true community gathering, but also has the energy and excitement of a party. Ultimately, I want people to leave feeling like they experienced something bigger than life.” That balance between community and culture is central to the collaboration between all three organizations.
“I’m excited to see a group of talented, business-minded creatives put something incredible together,” said Rudy Walker, Executive Director of CNTR. “We just flow. It’s truly a beautiful thing.”
Together, Born Outside, CNTR and Lado’s Internet are building an experience rooted in collaboration rather than competition. The partnership reflects a shared belief that Richmond’s creative community becomes stronger when organizations pool their ideas, resources, relationships and talents.
The Born Outside Picnic will also create opportunities for local artists, vendors, independent businesses, nonprofits and community organizations to connect directly with festival attendees. Organizers envision the event becoming an annual Richmond tradition and a regional destination celebrating the city’s diversity, talent and creative spirit.
“Today we choose community. We choose creativity. We choose joy. We choose Richmond.” A chant that organizers plan to echo at the start of the September 19th event.
EVENT INFORMATION
Event: Born Outside Picnic
Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026 1pm-9pm
Location: Monroe Park, Richmond, Virginia
Admission: Ages 18 and older
Programming: DJ performances, fashion, music, art, food, vendors, local businesses, community activations and creative experiences
ABOUT BORN OUTSIDE
Born Outside is a Richmond-based cultural festival platform dedicated to elevating local and emerging DJs, promoting unity and fostering creativity. Through music, outdoor experiences and community-centered programming, Born Outside creates welcoming opportunities for discovery, connection and celebration while investing in Richmond’s cultural identity and creative economy.
ABOUT MYCNTR
MyCNTR – A Creative Space is Richmond’s creative home base, where culture-makers gather, create and grow. Located at 318 W. Broad Street, CNTR gives artists, creators, entrepreneurs and community partners access to space, tools, opportunity and one another through events, production resources, artist development and community-centered programming.
Learn more at www.itscntr.com.
ABOUT LADO’S INTERNET
Lado’s Internet is a Richmond-based creative and cultural platform producing imaginative experiences at the intersection of music, nightlife, fashion, storytelling and community. Known for its energetic and intentional approach, Lado’s Internet continues to build momentum throughout the city by creating experiences that feel equally rooted in community and celebration.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Born Outside
(804)-401-2873
CNTR
Rudy Walker
(443)-538-2491
CNTR Press Office
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