AFRICA WEST SUMMER FESTIVAL TO BE BIGGER AND BETTER IN 2010 

 

Oklahoma City, OK – April 20, 2010 –The Capitol Chamber announced today the program for the 3rd Annual Africa West Culture Festival to be held Friday June 11th and Saturday June 12th at the Metro Tech Springlake Campus. This year’s theme, “Celebrating the African American Imprint,” ties all the programs and activities together to help celebrate African American culture and history. The festival will once again be held on the beautiful Metro Tech Springlake Campus 1900 Springlake Dr. where African American artist, performers and vendors will showcase and market their products.

 

New programs added for 2010 include the premier performance of the play “Saggin,” on Friday. The play explores today’s contemporary African American through music and dance while discussing the controversial fashion statement called Saggin.

 

Saturday’s new program additions include a parade in the morning with bands, floats and African dancers on a route along historic Martin Luther King Blvd. This will be followed with two performances of the play, “The Way it Was,” chronicling important events in Oklahoma African American History, covering the African American Deputy Marshalls that maintained order in Indian Territory, African American One Room School Houses, Black Towns, Blues Music, Tulsa Race Riot and Deep Deuce Jazz Era. 

The festival will conclude with a Saturday night concert featuring popular local African American bands performing R & B, jazz and blues.

 

This year’s programs will still include the African American Artist Exhibits, Black Town Exhibit, 5K and 2K Run, Gospel Review and Competition, Buffalo Solider Re-enactment, National Soul Food Contest, Drumming Circle and African Market and Bazaar.

 

“We are excited about the new program and believe we have put together a culture experience that individuals of different backgrounds, races and ages will enjoy,” said Africa West Chair Tania Mitchell.

 

Along with the exhibits and contest, Africa West will also house a Food Plaza, Vendor Plaza, Healthy Lifestyles Plaza and Kids Plaza designed to give those in attendance a taste of both African and African American culture.

 

“We want Africa West to offer a good balance of education and fun for everyone who attends,” said Mitchell.

 

The schedule is jam packed kicking off on Friday June 11th at 6pm and concluding the next day Saturday June 12th at 10pm. Each day of the festival artist, vendors and food concessions will be available for all to enjoy. 

 

Attending Africa West will continue to be free thanks to the support of sponsors that include Metro Tech, Kirkpatrick Foundation, Oklahoma City Visitors Bureau, Wells Fargo Advisors, Tinker Federal Credit Union, Oklahoma Arts Council, Fox 25/CW34, Thunder, Perry Publishing, Cricket, Oklahoma Employees Credit Union, AT & T, OG&E and ONG. 

 

For more information on how to participate or how to become a sponsor at this year’s festival, contact the Capitol Chamber at 405.427.4444 or at africawest@captiolchamber.org  or visit www.capitolchamber.org for more event details.

 

 

  

 

Africa West 2010 Program Schedule

 

Friday, June 11th

5 PM

Africa West Reception for Sponsors, Volunteers & Guest

6 PM

Africa West Festival Officially Opens

7 PM

Africa West Friday Night Program

Saturday, June 12th 

6:30 AM

Africa West Run Registration

7:30 AM

Africa West 5K & 2K Run – Metro Tech 1900 Springlake Drive

9 AM

Africa West 5K & 2K Run Award Winners

Vendor & Food Plaza Area Opens

Soul Food Registration Begins

9 AM

Parade Starts

11:30 AM

Opening Ceremony – Amphitheater

Processional led by Local African Community leaders in traditional dress

Traditional African Opening Ceremony & Culture Program

Noon till 1 PM

Africa Fashion Show – Auditorium

The Traditional African Wear Fashion Show showcases styles and cultural elements from Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo-Kinshasa, the Gambia, Ghana, and Nigeria.

Noon till 1:30 PM - Amphitheater

Africa West History Program

Science Museum of Oklahoma: African American’s contribution to science

Story of Oklahoma’s Freedman

Buffalo Soldiers 9th & 10th Calvary Buffalo Soldiers re-enactors

Black Marshalls & Black Cowboys

Tuskegee Airman

Noon till 4 PM–

Soul Food Competition

The Annual Soul Food competition kicks off at Noon with cooks competing for $5,000 in prize money. The array of food includes brisket, pork loin, sweet potato pie, collard greens any many other dishes familial to the African American community. For $7 you can purchase a taster kits to taste these homemade soul food dishes.

1:30 PM till 5:30 PM - Amphitheater

Gospel Extravaganza

The finalist from the Africa West Gospel competition will perform in the final competition for the grand prize winner. 8 acts have been selected to perform during the gospel extravaganza.

2 PM & 4 PM – Auditorium

The Play “The Way it Was”

The play chronicles important events in Oklahoma African American History. They cover the African American Deputy Marshalls that maintained law & order in Indian Territory, African American One Room School Houses, Black Towns, Blues Music in Oklahoma, the Tulsa Race Riot and the Deep Deuce Jazz Era.

5:30 PM till 7 PM

African Drumming and Dance featuring Jahruba and Sunuada African Dance Ensemble

7 PM till 10 PM

Africa West Saturday Night Concert with US Productions