Harambee Festival Will Celebrate African Culture & Community Oct. 31

The Harambee Festival Steering Committee, in conjunction with the City of Dallas will host the 41st Annual Harambee Festival, an African- American cultural event created to give children a safe alternative to Halloween. Harambee is an East African Swahili word meaning “Let’s Pull Together.” This free, family friendly festival has become a treasured fall tradition connecting thousands of young people to their African culture and community. This year’s theme is “Harambee: Celebrating 41 Great Sankofa Years.”

“The Harambee Festival is a time to reaffirm African American history and culture while celebrating our rich contribution to the city of Dallas,” said Harambee Festival Steering Committee Chairman Clarence Glover. “Harambee is one of Dallas’ great cultural legacies and my hope is that the City and Metroplex will embrace it to ensure its success for future generations to come.”

The event will feature positive hip-hop, gospel, jazz, spoken word, storytelling, African drumming, and dance performances from local and national artists, plus a quilt exhibit, an African mask display, and a variety of foods in the Harambee African Marketplace. The Arthello Beck, Jr. Watoto (children’s) Village will provide youth entertainment, fun, educational games, painting, and safety and health information. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday Oct. 31

Martin Luther King Community Center, 2922 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

This is a family friendly event, open to churches, organizations, businesses, students, families, elected officials and anyone ready for a non-stop day of fun and cultural education. For more information visit www.mlkcelebrationdallas.org. You can also visit Facebook for updates at www.facebook.com/mlkccdallas. Sponsors include City of Dallas, the Arthello Beck, Jr. Art Gallery, and the Dallas Civil Rights Museum at the MLK Center..