— The festival returned to the grounds of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History —
Detroit, MI — More than 100,000 visitors mark summer with annual visits to this free, city-wide celebration of African culture. The African World Festival is for the entire community, featuring an African marketplace with more than 150 vendors of imports, visual arts, hand crafts, apparel & accessories, foods and more.The festival took place Friday, August 15, through Sunday, August 17, from 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. each day at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, 315 E. Warren Ave. Detroit, Michigan 48202. The wide variety of festival stages and activity areas included portions of the Museum’s interior spaces. Museum exhibitions were free with Museum admission and there were extended Museum hours during the festival: 9 am – 7 pm Friday through Sunday. Festival grounds also included the Museum’s exterior grounds and nearby Peck Park, at Brush and Frederick streets.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 15
* Opening Ceremony – 4 pm
Museum officials, Detroit City Council members and cultural activist Joann Watson welcome the Legendary Kim Weston, soul singer and activist, with her renowned rendition of the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing”
* African Drums and Dance – 7 pm
* Neo-Soul artist Cody ChesnuTT – 9 pm | www.cchesnutt.com
* Lady Champagne & The Motor City Blues Crew 7pm
SATURDAY, AUGUST 16
* Parade of Nations beginning from Peck Park at Brush and Frederick streets – 11am
* Grammy Award-winners, Karen Clark Sheard/The Clark Sisters, along with Kierra Sheard, and Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ’s Mass Choir & Dancers headline a soul-stirring program of word & music, hosted by Bishop J. Drew Sheard 6-8pm
* Kuumba Artist Village – Sculpture, art and paint works created 11a-11p
* For The Love of Literacy Children’s Book Fair 10a-6p
* Detroit Rocks the Runway – Fashion gets cultured at the hottest runway show in Detroit! Trending designs, innovations in hair & headgear. Music, dance & drums. Don’t miss! 9-11pm
SUNDAY, AUGUST 17
* Forum: Water – Information sharing and discussions on this hot-button topic hosted by the People’s Water Board Coalition, working with Universidad Sin Fronteras, University Without Borders.
* GM Theater 11a-2p
* Peck Park at Brush and Frederick streets 3-4pm
* Film – Bob Marley: Spiritual Journey GM Theatre 5:30-7:30p
THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE WEEKEND:
* Marketplace with textiles, imports, books, apparel, fine art & prints, jewelry, music & films, bath & body products, food & drink, “Tastes of the Diaspora”
* African Folk Life Village presented by The Heritage Works
* Elder Village with seating, water and snacks for those over age 60
* Quilt Exhibit Masterful handcrafted quilts by textile artists in the Great Lakes African American Quilt Network, on display in the beautiful Museum Ford Freedom Rotunda
* The Legacy of Africans & African Americans In Agriculture – dialogue series, including careers and food justice, presented by FoodPLUS|Detroit and MSU Vice President’s Office of Governmental Affairs
* Detroit Association of Black Storytellers
* Dance & Drums interaction and performance
* Soccer & Martial Arts demos
* “Liberation Film Series” in the Museum’s GM Theater
* Natural hair and head-wrapping demonstrations
* Nile River Jazz & Blues stage
* “Good Times” Thelma – BerNadette Stanis with a book signing. All day Friday – Sunday.
* Watoto Children’s Village – Festival of Fun for our Youth: Stage performances, games, prizes and “make & take” fun for children and families.
* Saturday & Sunday noon – 8 p.m.
The African World Festival was made possible by the support of the Ford Motor Company and the Knight Foundation. Event sponsors also included: Heritage Works, Greater Emmanuel Institutional C.O.G.I.C., Food Plus Detroit, the MSU Vice President’s Office of Governmental Affairs, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Clear Channel Radio, The Michigan Chronicle, Great Lakes African American Quilters Network, Cruisin’ The D, McDonalds and The Gathering.
For more information the public is asked to visit the Festival website at www.AWFDetroit.com, call the Festival office at (313) 494-5824 or email communications@chwmuseum.org. For media inquiries only, or for interviews with Juanita Moore, President and CEO of the Charles H. Wright Museum, contact Pam Perry at (248) 690-6810 or pperry@chwmuseum.org.
Watch the 2014 African World Festival 30 Second Video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ukbs8qqIrbM