Hayti Heritage Film Festival, Durham, NC
Formerly known as the Black Diaspora Film Festival, the Hayti Heritage Film Festival (HHFF) is proud to be celebrating its 15th year by showcasing the diverse works of and about people of African descent. In honoring this 15 year legacy, HHFF will expand into new territory. In addition to adding competition categories, the festival is stepping up efforts to recognize and hone the talents of established and up and coming filmmakers by adding competitive awards, a financial short film challenge, and an all day student workshop, celebrity panel discussions and much more. The 2009 festival runs from February 19-22. For more information, please visit the Hayti Heritage Film Festival’s official website.
The venue for the event, The Hayti Heritage Center (home of the St. Joseph ’s Historic Foundation), is an African American cultural and educational institution deeply rooted in the historic Hayti community of Durham, North Carolina . The Hayti Heritage Center hosts numerous cultural arts programming annually, that examine the experiences of Americans of African descent–locally, nationally and globally. The Hayti Heritage Center is the former St. Joseph ’s A.M.E. Church , a National Historic Landmark and economic anchor to the greater Durham community. To learn more, visit www.hayti.org.
Hayti Heritage Film Festival
Venue: Hayti Heritage Center
Address: 804 Old Fayetteville Street, Durham, NC, 27707
Phone: 919.683.1709
Official Website
Maps & Driving Directions
Barbados Jazz Festival, Barbados
Celebrating the best in international and local jazz talent, the country’s flagship musical event, the Barbados Jazz Festival sends out the soulful sounds of jazz across the island from idyllic venues: the modern Sir Garfield Sobers gymnasium suits a large crowd; the open air Farley Hill National Park is ideal for a day of picnicking and jazz, and the lovely Sunbury Plantation House is over 300 years old and steeped in history. For more information, visit the official website of the Barbados Tourism Authority.
Photo: Jazz Musician Kenny Garrett, Barbados Jazz Festival, 2005
Sweet Auburn Heritage Festival | Atlanta, GA
Founded by civil rights leader Hosea Williams in 1984, the annual Sweet Auburn Heritage Festival celebrates the history of Auburn Avenue Historical District (formerly known as Wheat Street), home to Atlanta’s first emerging African American middle class community. This year’s festival featuress live entertainment on 3 stages, cultural arts, multi-cultural foods, apparel, games, exhibits, special attractions and fun for the whole family. Please be sure to visit the official website of the Sweet Auburn Heritage Festival for more information
Picture: Professors and Students, Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA
Bud Billiken Parade | Chicago, IL
Billed as the oldest and largest African American parade in the U.S.,
Chicago’s Bud Billiken Parade has been held on every second Saturday
since 1929. Attracting thousands of spectators along its route, the
parade marks for many the unofficial beginning of the end of summer.
It features politicians, beauty queens, celebrities, musical
performers, and dozens of high-school drill teams, floats, and
marching bands. High-profile celebrities and dignitaries have attended
the parade over the years, including Presidents Truman and Kennedy,
Michael Jordan, Joe Louis, Ali, Duke Ellington, Oprah, Lena Horne,
Ethel Waters, Cab Calloway, Paul Robeson and Billie Holiday.
Democratic presidential nominee, Barack Obama, served as grand marshal
in 2007. Visit the Bud Billiken Parade Official Website for additional information.
Other interesting facts:
- The parade is named after the Billiken, a Chinese mythical character
who is the guardian angel of little children. - Its not only the largest African-American parade in the country, Bud
Billiken is the largest parade in Chicago and the nation’s second
largest parade after the Rose Bowl Parade.
Chicago Blues Festival | Chicago, IL
Billed as the largest of the city’s summer festivals, the Chicago Blues Festival draws nearly 1 million people to Grant Park (near to the Lake Michigan waterfront) to enjoy four days and six stages of Hall of Fame performances Chicago blues, swing, boogie woogie and delta blues. Past performers include Ray Charles, Taj Mahal and Ruth Brown. Admission to this the City of Chicago sponsored event is free!
The 2008 festival will celebrate the centennials of Louis Jordan, Robert Petway and Tommy McClennan. To find out who will be performing where, check out the the official Chicago Blues Festival website.
If you can’t wait until June to get your blues fix, the city also features a variety of activities and free concerts (called the Blues Season) throughout the month prior to the greatest Blues fest on the planet.
For more information on black travel destinations world wide be sure to visit Discover Black Heritage, A Travel Guide to Black History and Culture.
