Tubman Museum preps for 20th annual Pan African Festival

MACON –The Pan African Festival of Georgia will mark its 20th anniversary this month at the Tubman Museum, which is approaching its own first anniversary in its 49,000-square-foot facility.

The festival, which has grown over the years into a multi-day event, will be April 22-24 at the Cherry Street museum.

The Pan African Festival will showcase African music, dance, crafts and food, with music performances in the jazz, gospel and hip-hop genres; face painting; storytelling, and dancing. Types of food available will range from American and Caribbean to Greek and Asian.

Opening events will include a pre-festival dance party April 21 featuring AJ The DJ; an evening black-tie banquet April 22 honoring Chi Ezekwueche, founder of the Tubman’s Pan African Festival and All That Jazz, two of the museum’s largest annual fundraisers.

April 23 features a Marketplace on the Cherry Street Plaza that will have art, crafts, dance, vendors, food trucks, activities, performances by local talent, and evening concerts by the funk and jazz band Brick and funk band Lakeside. Musical entertainment on April 23 will be provided by the 150-plus member Pan African Festival Mass Choir, Destined for Greatness and other musical guests. The headliner is Grammy Award-winning R&B, gospel and jazz singer-songwriter Regina Belle.

Special presentations are planned for both inside and outside the building on Saturday and Sunday, including special drumming performances and dance lessons. A film festival, guided tours of the new facility, drumming classes, storytelling, and a variety of family activities and other special programming are scheduled to take place inside the museum.

Entry for the pre-festival dance party is general admission at the door; tickets for a raffle, the black-tie awards event and museum admission are available for purchase at the museum or by calling (478) 743-8544.

The Tubman Museum is dedicated to education about the art, history and culture of African Americans. Founded in 1981 and named for Harriet Tubman, the “Black Moses” who led hundreds of slaves to freedom, the museum fulfills its mission through diverse permanent and changing exhibitions, innovative educational programming, technology, print and digital publications, festivals, lectures, concerts, and special events.

Visit the Tubman Museum of African American Art, History and Culture website, www.tubmanmuseum.com.