An event aimed at sharing a continent’s culture is coming to Harrisburg.
The Africa Cultural Festival is planned for Sept. 19-21, with most events being held at the HACC Wildwood campus. PennLive is of the event’s sponsors.
The three-day event will “showcase the culture, music, art and food of Africa in Harrisburg,” according to event organizer Wole Adeniyi.
Adeniyi is CEO of ACI Entertainment and has lived in Harrisburg since 1997. Before that, he lived in Nigeria.
“And because I have my cultural orientation in Nigeria and Harrisburg, I know the value of both areas,” he said. “And that is why I’m trying to showcase here what I had in the first part of life.”
The goal of the event is “to showcase the culture we have, our shared heritage, and to start a conversation about how we can all work together and be at peace with each other,” he said.
Part of the goal, Adeniyi said, “is to showcase the lost culture to the people here, so they know their roots and they know what they have out there.”
Part of the event’s focus is to allow opportunities for Black Americans to connect with their heritage, which for many was stripped from their ancestors due to enslavement.
But event co-organizer Phyllis Bennett said that the goal is to “bridge the gulf between Africa and the United States” for everyone, regardless of their heritage.
“This goes back to the roots of all civilization — it all started in Africa,” Bennett said. “This brings people together, regardless of culture, ethnicity and background. All are welcome.”
Events start on Sept. 19 with a NextGen Connect: African Diaspora Summit from 4-6 p.m., both online and in person on HACC’s campus, followed by the Africa Steez fashion show from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Rose Lehrman Arts Center.
On Sept. 20, a Grand Awakening opening ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. that will include artists, students, investors and local representatives.
A Rhythms of Africa concert will be held at The Forum in Harrisburg at 7 p.m. on the 20th. The show will feature bestselling Afrobeats artist 2Baba and DJ Jimmy Jat, both from Nigeria.
The AFC Marketplace will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 20-21, and showcase vendors in art, fashion, beauty, health, food, tech and consulting.
For more information, visit the Africa Cultural Fest website.