Editor's note: This story is part of Southwest Michigan Second Wave's On the Ground Kalamazoo series.
The Kalamazoo Black Arts Festival this year will feature local talent, food, and festivities, culminating in a co-celebration of the festival and the 150th Anniversary of the Kalamazoo Public Library. Activities will be highlighted with an evening performance by Grammy-Award-winning R & B/jazz artist Booker T. Jones with his band, the Green Onions.
The 37th Annual Kalamazoo Black Arts Festival on July 8 promises to be a day-long celebration of Black art and culture, with a venue change this year to Bronson Park. Jones will perform at 7 p.m. in a free concert at the Kalamazoo State Theater, co-sponsored by KPL, with venue and production support from the
Gilmore Piano Festival and the State Theater. The Douglass Community Association is also helping support the festival.
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Jones is a Grammy Award-winning songwriter, record producer, and arranger who has collaborated with a long list of famous artists from Rod Stewart and Richie Havens to Bill Withers and Elton John. He became well known in the 1960s as the frontman for Booker T. & the MGs. Doors are set to open at 6 p.m. Those who plan to attend are being asked to
register. Seating is limited.
“I think the Black Arts Festival now is really showcasing a lot of the talent that we have here in Kalamazoo and Southwest Michigan,” says Danni Lewis, program director for the Black Arts and Cultural Committee, which hosts the festival. “So it’s learning about all these artists that we have here, and how to support them the best we can -- from performing artists to culinary artists.”
The Kalamazoo Black Arts Festival began 37 years ago with several objectives. Among them:
- To promote the fine and performing arts;
- To provide a showcase and establish a creative base for Black artists;
- And to sharpen the perception of the Kalamazoo community regarding the works of Black artists.
Those efforts will continue with music, dancing, poetry, art, food, and camaraderie on July 8 in downtown Kalamazoo.
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According to the BACC, the festival attracts about 5,000 visitors each year. Along with the food, outdoor art exhibits, and family fun, it gives young people a chance to learn about youth-focused careers and organizations, and it allows adults an opportunity to learn about organizations that may benefit them. At the same time, it gives local artists and entrepreneurs a chance to share their work and find more support.
“We have about 30 vendors who are going to be there,” Lewis says. “There’s about 20 retail vendors and about 10 information vendors.”
Information vendors, such as the Metropolitan Kalamazoo Branch of the NAACP and the Kalamazoo Democratic Party, will provide information and explain issues of concern. Retail vendors will sell clothing, jewelry, artwork, and other items. At least six food vendors are expected to provide their best cooking. They include Big Moe’s Barbeque Express and House of Soul & Seafood.
There will be performances by 25 local acts on the Bronson Park stage. That includes single performers as well as bands and group dancers.
What should people anticipate about the Black Arts Festival?
“In regard to us, it’s artistry,” Lewis says. “How do we represent our culture through the arts? How do we bring in our music that pertains to current events?”
She says music has to go with “the rhythm that we’ve seen throughout the history of this Black culture.” The artwork that is presented will try “to depict us as well as current events and historical events.”
The festival is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 8, 2023, at Bronson Park, 200 S. Rose St. More information is available
HERE.
All photos are courtesy of the Kalamazoo Black Arts Festival.
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