The African American Cultural Festival of Raleigh and Wake County is an annual celebration of African American culture as expressed through art, music, food, and community. This festival has become a destination event for African Americans and anyone who appreciates art, music, and exposure to different cultures’ foods, clothing, jewelry, and books. The festival is not just an event, it’s an experience!
The African American Cultural Festival of Raleigh and Wake County is committed to uniting, engaging and educating a diverse community through the celebration of the African American Culture as expressed through the arts.
Authored by David Menconi, this piece has been produced in partnership with Raleigh Arts. Menconi's latest book, "Oh, Didn't They Ramble: Rounder Records and the Transformation of American Roots Music," was published in the fall of 2023 by University of North Carolina Press.
The Festival's Origins and Growth
Two decades ago, one of Raleigh’s signature annual events was the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) basketball tournament. Alas, that party ended when the CIAA decided to find a new home, but something very positive grew out of the CIAA leaving Raleigh-the African American Cultural Festival of Raleigh and Wake County.
The catalysts for the AACP’s development nearly a decade ago were the departure of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association tournament, where local HBCUs like Shaw and St. Augustine competed; and the failure to secure the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference, of which N.C. Central and Winston-Salem State were members. Both of these events draw large African-American audiences. The city, led by then-mayor Charles Meeker, council member Eugene Weeks, and others, supported the AACP in an effort to fill the void left by the CIAA and MEAC with Raleigh’s own destination event.
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Started in the wake of the CIAA’s departure, the festival will mark its 15th edition over Labor Day weekend, Aug. 31 and Sept. The inaugural festival was held on September 4th and 5th, 2010 and exceeded everyone's expectations, with more than 15,000 in attendance. It debuted in 2010, and it drew an estimated 15,000 people that first year. It’s grown quickly in the years since, with last year’s model attracting close to 60,000 attendees, according to estimates from the Raleigh Police Department.
“This is our 15th year and we are excited to still be here,” says Pam Smith, executive director and CEO of the African American Cultural Festival of Raleigh and Wake County non-profit (she is also on local radio as part of "The Sports Shop," mornings on WRAL 101.5-FM). “It started with a group of community leaders looking to fill the void when the CIAA left, because there was nothing huge like that in Raleigh.
The festival showcases Durham’s and Raleigh’s African-American cultural history and lifts up their present. There are spaces to learn a bit more about that history at locations like the Pope House Museum, which is only open on Saturdays. This little gem tucked away on South Wilmington Avenue is not in the festival’s footprint, but there was signage (literally shoes) that led me there. I learned that the museum was once the home of Raleigh’s first black doctor and the first black candidate to run for mayor in the early 1900s. Shaw Univesity is down the street from Pope House, but it seemed to have no real connection to festival events this year.
After a year off, the African American Cultural Festival of Raleigh and Wake County returned to bring the community together. Events continued the following weekend of Sep. 4-5 where participants could enjoy family time at Moore Square Park or Chavis Park in the afternoon while they took in the warm summer of Raleigh.
Community and Culture
This past Labor Day weekend marked an opportunity to experience Black Raleigh in full force at the ninth annual African American Cultural Festival of Raleigh and Wake County. Though the numbers aren’t in yet, an estimated forty thousand people participated in the festival this year. Artists came from as far as Denver and New Jersey, as well as from down the road in Greensboro and Goldsboro. Lending a helping hand were over 240 volunteers of diverse backgrounds, including Drea from Durham.
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“There are all types of people here, and it’s a way to soak up some culture and really learn about other people, and just be part of the community,” she replied. The idea of community is what drew me out-and my own personal need to connect with a critical mass of African Americans. Since coming to Raleigh in 2010, I have found the black presence elusive and scattered. Although African Americans comprise 29.3 percent of the city’s population, their presence is rarely visible. Sometimes, I just want to be surrounded by the magic of black culture.
According to David Baker, a local attorney and chair of the AACF board of directors, the notion of community keeps expanding and is reflected in the range of vendors and the types of programming at the festival. He described the festival’s vision this way: “We see Raleigh as the largest family reunion; at the festival, we’re all family, and we are mindful of keeping a family-friendly environment.” This focus has led to the decision not to serve alcohol; it might be a money maker, but those in charge of the festival feel it would change the atmosphere.
“There is a delicate balance,” Baker told me. “We want to see [the festival] grow, and one of our challenges is raising money each year. But it is a question of how to do that without losing the quality and character of the festival. For example, I attended the festival in Baltimore and found it very commercial.
Festival Features
The festival will have the usual compliment of juried art and merchandise vendors plus food trucks in addition to musical entertainment. “We have added a partnership this year with Wake Chapel Church, so Sunday morning we are gonna have church out there from 10 to 11:30am,” says Smith. “We also have a record number of artists and vendors, 120-plus vendors and business owners on the footprint. The African Village will be huge with food and shopping and great music and surprises added. Everyone is still recovering from losing two or three years to Covid, so we’re excited to have the opportunity to support.
Vendors and artists who attended the AAFC told me they were satisfied with the results, which sometimes had very little to do with making money. At least, that’s what Barton Hatcher of Greensboro said. Here for the second year, he says that while “showing my art is very important to me, I want to be here to take in the culture. I will be back next year.”
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His commitment was echoed by African vendor Lillian Danieli’s, owner of Nashona Boutique in Goldsboro; she had found just the right spot to display and sell her fashions from Tanzania, “sewn with love” by women there whom she employs. Her profits from this event support a sewing enterprise and an orphanage.
Eric McRay: “This was my first time coming as a vendor. EM: “Well for me, my daughter started working with a vendor across from me from New York who was selling T-shirts. She did so well that the gentleman offered her a job at a new business he was starting! My son introduced himself to the other vendors and told them about my artwork and he ended up getting a job offer too. Keep in mind my children are only 17 and 15 but now we had people coming to the table complimenting [Eric and his wife] on how well we raised our children. I was really impacted by… how entrepreneurial, uplifting, spiritual, unifying, positive and enlightening the environment was. My children [grew] up in Raleigh which is a wonderfully diverse community. But I think the positivity and unity shown by the Black vendors… impacted them and may be contrary to some things they see in the media about our culture or attitudes.
EM: “I started in the mid to late 80’s where there were little opportunities. The only events where I was able to exhibit my art was something like Black history month. I tried to push through that to make my work available 12 months a year. There were lots of [lack] artists here that had trouble attracting a broad audience. Oftentimes people wanted to pigeonhole and demean the work of my peers and I as just for a specific crowd. I had to be a trailblazer in order to impact local communities.
EM: “That’s tricky. For instance Martin Luther King’s statue in D.C. was made in China and the original version had to be sent back because he looked Asian Is that Black Art? Music, art, fashion, food and much more. Welcome - Mid-Century Abstraction, Jazz, Coastal, and More.
The African American Cultural Festival is proud to present an exciting array of interactive art projects each year. Throughout the festival grounds, visitors of all ages will find a wide array of interactive art activities designed to encourage exploration and creativity. Some of these projects include our Art Walls where attendees can use colorful chalk to express themselves; Puppetry workshops that introduce children to the fine art of character building and storytelling; Mural Projects that showcase works by some of North Carolina's talented local artists; and Theatre workshops where attendees can collaborate to create their own original performances.These art projects provide a unique opportunity for visitors to dive into the creative spirit of AACF.
The African American Cultural Festival is more than just a celebration of art and culture, it's also an opportunity to help strengthen our local communities. Each year, AACF offers a variety of outreach programs that promote education, collaboration, and social change throughout Raleigh & Wake County. Our signature initiative, the AACF Youth Art Grant Program, helps to promote creativity and leadership among high school students in our area. This program provides grants to fund projects that bring art education and creative experiences to underserved populations. We also partner with local service organizations to provide access to health and social services for festival attendees. Through these community outreach initiatives, AACF strives to create a more vibrant and inclusive local community.
With these collaborations, we hope to draw even more attention to the AACF and reach people who may not have otherwise been able to participate in the festival. Your support is essential for making this year's African American Cultural Festival a success. We invite you to join us in creating an inclusive, diverse and lively event that celebrates the unique culture of African Americans here in our community and around the world.
Looking Ahead
Scheduled for Sat., Jan. 25, 2025, the African American Cultural Celebration is a day-long event that is free and family-friendly. It kicks off Black History Month in North Carolina with a showcase of history, culture and artistry through performances, workshops, demonstrations and more. “It’s a big milestone we’re looking forward to, over two decades,” says Kaya Littleturtle, cultural festival coordinator for the museum. One recently added feature of the African American Cultural Celebration actually happens a day earlier, a Virtual Education Day on Fri., Jan. 24. “We added this day-before education day event in 2022, as a virtual program to bring parts of the celebration to classrooms and learning spaces across the state,” says Jessica Pratt, the museum’s education section chief.
Meanwhile, work is still continuing on the long-in-the-works renovation and reinvention of the North Carolina Museum of History, which closed in October for that work to begin. “Things are really bustling behind the scenes right now,” says Mary Huntley, director of communications and marketing for the museum. “If you were to walk in, you would see a lot of work going on, curators breaking down current exhibits and carefully storing artifacts while we figure out what will come next. We’re thinking transformatively about the museum’s next iteration.
The 24th annual African American Cultural Celebration is 10:30am to 4:30pm on Sat., Jan. 25, 2025, at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 W. Jones St. in Raleigh. Admission is free.
We hope you can join us for an unforgettable weekend of celebration and culture at the 2025 African American Cultural Festival! Don't miss out on your chance to join us as we showcase the art, music, and food that makes this event so special. We look forward to seeing you there!
Are you ready to get involved with the African American Cultural Festival? We invite everyone to become a part of this unique celebration of African American culture! You can also find us on social media, where we'll be sharing updates throughout the summer and leading up to the big event. We’ll see you in downtown Raleigh soon!
Hundreds gather at African-American Cultural Celebration in downtown Raleigh
Paying it Forward:As we celebrate the 16th anniversary of the African American Cultural Festival, we are reminded of the sacrifices that were made to enable us to gather on city streets and celebrate our heritage and culture. What was once unimaginable is now tangible and what a wonderful gift that is! We ask for your monetary gifts in support of our mission. Your donation will help us continue the work of providing quality programming that remains free and open to the public.
The African American Cultural Festival of Raleigh & Wake County is a tax-exempt nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Thank you for your generosity and commitment to the African American Cultural Festival!
We look forward to seeing you in downtown Raleigh on Labor Day weekend for an unforgettable celebration of African American culture at the 2025 African American Cultural Festival!
Festival Staff
- Carly Jones - Festival Coordinator
- Michelle Davis Petelinz - Art Program Director
- Monet Noelle Marshall - Assistant Festival Coordinator
Governing Board
- James Roberson, Chair - Senior Dean, Wake Tech Community College - Western Wake Campus
- David Baker, Vice-Chair - Attorney, Law Office of David K.
