_____________________________

Parade To Kick Off Start of Afr’Am Fest

   NORFOLK—Afr’Am Fest is a Memorial Day tradition in downtown Norfolk which has been celebrated for 25 years. This year’s event will focus on literacy, family and breast cancer awareness. The theme is, “Reading is a Family Affair,” which is designed to encourage more families to read together.
“This is such an important milestone celebration for Afr’Am,” said Mark Madison, Afr’Am Fest project director. “We are proud to have accomplished 25 years of teamwork and commitment to Hampton Roads.
Two pre-festival events were planned to start the celebration. There was the 2nd annual Word Flow on April 15 at Blakeley’s Nightclub in Chesapeake. The competition featured a local spoken word contest and a showcase performance.
Meanwhile, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity will host an evening cruise on the Spirit of Norfolk, Friday, May 23 from midnight to 2:30 a.m. Cost is $50 a person.
  The actual waterfront festival that attracts some 200,000 fest-goers to downtown Norfolk to enjoy the weekend’s events kicks off with a Grand Processional/Parade, starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 24th outside Harbor Park. Led by Ken Wright, one of the founding members of the Southeastern Virginia Arts Association (SEVAA), the parade will proceed toward Waterside Drive outside Town Point Park, the site of the festival. Wright, a national-renowned artist, will be on horseback with other members of the Buffalo Riders.
  This processional will be a fitting event to celebrate the start of Afr’Am, founded by SEVAA 25 years ago. Over the years, Afr’Am has grown into one of the region’s best known cultural and entertainment events, drawing tourists and participants from other states and abroad.
  Wright will be joined in the procession by Felix Simmons, a griot who is famed for African history and storytelling. Simmons will give several performances in the Afr’Am Children’s Village during the festival. The Portsmouth Urban Arts Ensemble, the Salem Vainglorious Steppers, and Toni Bridgeford's Marching Angels will also take part in the parade, giving revelers a taste of African Drums, African-American Step Teams, and African-American music and dance. 
  Members of Excalibur Gymnastics in Virginia Beach will also perform during the parade and in the Children’s Village.

Posted May 14, 2008

The gymnasts will also participate in the "Afr'Am Idol" competition, which will take place on Monday, May 26. Judges for Afr'Am Idol are Hugh Copeland, owner of the Hurrah Players; Stephanie R. Lewis, a former Baltimore Ravens cheerleader; and Charisse Miverva-Spencer, former director of the Urban Arts Ensemble. But the audience will be ultimate judge on who should win the competition.
The annual festival will also feature Mattie’s Place where 130-160 food and retail vendors will sell artwork, sculpture, handmade jewelry, clothing, and Greek items.
Other attractions will include the Children’s Village, which will feature educational displays and crafts, plus local youth step teams, dancers, and entertainers.
Then there is the Author’s Pavillion, a literary pavilion that welcomes authors of all genres. While it will host local and regional writers throughout the festival, on Saturday hip hop and contemporary writers will be featured. Sunday, Christian writers will be featured. Monday, children’s literature and local giants will be highlighted.
Award-winning author Carolivia Herron, a former Harvard University professor and Portsmouth native, and the award-winning author of the children’s book titled, “Nappy Hair” will appear on Monday. Herron’s book is a controversial picture book which caused a third-grade teacher in New York City in 1998, to request a transfer to another school after disgruntled parents complained when she read the book to children in her classroom, who were largely black and Hispanic.
“I wrote it delighting in my own nappy hair,” Herron said later in a Dec. 3, 1998 Washington Post story. “I love my own nappy hair and the stories my uncle used to tell me about it. It was a celebration, and I had no idea it would be political. I am a 60s person and thought we had already dealt with this problem of being ashamed of our hair.”
Finally, the ever-popular multicultural food court will feature everything from fried corn and fish to pita wraps and lemonade.
Tickets range from $10 per day to $20 for a 3-day pass, which includes no waiting in line, rain, or shine. For more information, visit www.afram-fest.info or call 757-639-7054.

 Click Here to Subscribe to the New Journal and Guide.