Fast Foward becomes Forge

Renamed Forge to signify a collaborative force of young people dedicated to building a better community, the organization has six corporate benefactors: Advisors Excel, Bartlett & West, Capitol Federal, FHLBank Topeka, Washburn University and Westar Energy.

forge-logo

Forge, the young professionals’ organization affiliated with the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce, is celebrating its new brand by way of a free night of live music and entertainment in downtown Topeka on Oct. 21.

Gabriel O’Shea, executive director of Fast Forward, said, “Fast Forward provides an opportunity for young professionals to connect with one another and with the community. We’re striving to engage young professionals in meaningful ways to showcase our city’s many attributes and encourage their participation in initiatives underway to make Topeka an attractive place to live, work, and play. We are so grateful to our corporate benefactors for supporting our efforts and allowing us to involve any young professional in the community who wants to join us.”

forgefest

ForgeFest will take place on Jackson Street next to the Capitol and will feature a variety of vendors, including food trucks and beer gardens sponsored by the Celtic Fox. Food trucks will start serving food at 5 p.m. Area bands will perform. Brail will perform at 5:30 p.m., Toughies will perform at 6:30 p.m., and headliner Hembree, a band based in Kansas City, will take the stage at 7:30 p.m.

O’Shea said the concert will be the first of many events hosted by Forge geared toward providing entertainment and opportunities for young people in Topeka to connect with one another. Forge’s mission is to attract and retain young talent in the Greater Topeka area while developing the next generation of leaders.