African world festival milwaukee
African World Festival canceled again
May 17, 20160
Forgive me if this sounds like a broken record, but African World Festival is canceled yet again.
The reasons given for the festival being canceled for the third year in a row? Lack of support. Lack of money. Not able to sign a top performer.
All of these reasons sound like poor excuses for not being able to put on an event that highlights African culture.
Mark Wade, president of the African World Festival board, hinted several weeks ago that someone younger needs to take over and run the board. "I've been doing this a long time and put up a lot of my own money to keep it going. It's time for someone to take this into a different direction," he said.
Maybe that isn't a bad idea; new blood may be exactly what is needed to return the festival back to its glory.
The festival wasn't always in trouble. When it started in 1983 as Afro Fest, attendance was good and there were no negative incidents. But when the Opportunities Industrialization Center Inc. of Greater Milwaukee folded, a huge funding source for the festival ended, and there were not enough black businesses to step up and fill the void.
Smaller festivals have a
African World Festival celebrated the development of African culture and heritage in Africa as well as the Americas, from the age of the Atlantic slave trade to the modern era.[1] Attendees could learn about African history through performances of traditional African dance, drumming, and storytelling. A replica of an African village was also constructed on festival grounds each year.[2]
Organizers of the first festival formed a non-profit called Afro world Enterprises in 1982 and received formal approval from the Summerfest Board in January 1983 to host their first festival that same year.[3] Promoters, including the president of Afroworld Enterprises, Michael Brox, believed the festival would highlight the global contributions by peoples of the African diaspora as well as give voice and representation to Milwaukee’s African American community.[4] Originally called “Afro Fest,” attendance was low during the 1980s, with estimates of 13,197 in 1986 and 18,365 in 1987.[5] Believing that the title “Afro Fest” failed to fully represent the diversity of African culture, organizers rechristened the festival in 1989.[6] Attendance eventually rose to as many as 80,000 people, but finan
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Black Arts Fest MKE: Saturday, August 2nd, 2025
Black Arts Fest MKE exists to celebrate the deep roots of African Heritage and the creativity of Black Cultural Arts. This dynamic ethnic festival occurs each year, on the first Saturday of August, on the Summerfest grounds. This year’s festival will be held on Saturday, August 2, 2025, from 12 noon until 10 pm. Black Arts Fest MKE is packed with fun-filled festivities with exciting programming featuring Art, Education, Music, Entertainment, Poetry, Dance, Fashion, Literature, Heritage, Health, Wellness, Community, Cuisine, Vendor Markets and more. The festival strives to educate all and strengthen pride in African ancestry. Come on out! Bring the kids, your peers, and the elders to this multi-generational experience.
We also welcome your donations and support. Without our donors and sponsors, thousands of festival goers would not have the ability to experience the magnificence of African Heritage and Black Cultural Arts. Black Arts Fest MKE is a 501c3 non-profit organization. We appreciate you & thank you for your support!
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Each year, The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History celebrates the African World Festival®
For three days, over 20,000 people from all walks of existence gather on historic Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit to observe the beauty, strength, and liveliness of the African Diaspora. With performances, vendors, food, clothing, health products, visual arts, live demonstrations, community resources and information, and more, there's something for everyone at AWF.
2025 Festival Schedule
July 18 - 20, 2025
The African Earth Festival (AWF®) returns to Hart Plaza for a powerful three-day celebration of culture, history, and community, honoring the LEGACY of the African Diaspora.
This year's festival holds special significance as we commemorate the 60th anniversary of the museum — six decades of preserving, educating, and celebrating Black history and culture. From July 18 to 20, festivalgoers will experience an immersive journey through music, dance, art, storytelling, food, and meaningful conversations that highlight our shared heritage's force, resilience, and beauty.
The festival starts with an exciting Opening Bedtime featuring a dynamic fusion of live performanc
African World Festival in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
African World Festival in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Date Observed: First weekend in August
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The African World Festival in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is celebrated during the first weekend in August. It highlights African-American culture and its many contributions to the world, both past and present. Participants learn about life and rituals in Africa and the variety of African-American experience.
Historical Background
One aspect of the African World Festival is west African history, particularly that of the great Benin Empire in what is modern-day Nigeria. The logo for the festival depicts a mask that Oba (King) Esigie, who ruled the Benin Empire from about 1504 to 1550, created to honor his mother whom he designated first Iy'Oba, or Queen Mother. During Esigie's reign, Benin artists produced numerous works in copper and brass and refined casting techniques that had been passed on since the 13th century. King Esigie and other powerful and wealthy leaders became patrons of artists, helping to establish the tradition of casting bronze heads and ivory masks and possibly the first brass plaques. Suc