Activities at the Tubman Museum are in overdrive these days as preparations for the 21st Annual Pan African Festival of Georgia are in full swing. This year’s event – on April 29-30, 2017 – promises to be the biggest and best one yet!

The Pan African Festival of Georgia is a multi-day event that explores and celebrates the impact of African and African American culture worldwide as expressed in music, dance, food, poetry, and art. Music in multiple genres and dance performances will be enjoyed on the Cherry Street Plaza, and face painting, storytelling, and workshops in dance, drumming, yoga, and the visual arts will take place inside the Tubman Museum.

The 2017 Festival features live entertainment, crafts and all types of food from Caribbean to Greek to Asian to American. Special activities inside the Tubman Museum include the return of the “Children’s Village,” with fun and educational activities for children and their families. A new addition to the Festival this year is “The Empowerment Experience,” interactive sessions on Finance & Religion and Health & Wellness on Saturday, and the launch of the new Pan African Festival event app, which has information about the festival, vendors, sponsors and a schedule of activities.

Saturday also will feature the “Marketplace & Concerts on the Plaza” with art, crafts, dance, vendors, food trucks, activities, performances all day by local and regional talent, and recorded music spun by the DJ, A D. A dance performance will be presented by the Atlanta-based, international dance, percussion and vocal ensemble, Giwayen Mata, which also will lead a bonus lesson as an inside-the-Tubman activity. The evening’s concert, sponsored by AARP, will feature the R&B group, Rick James’ Stone City Band, which can be heard on recordings by Rick James, Teena Marie, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, The Mary Jane Girls, MC Hammer and Eddie Murphy, just to name a few. The special guest MC for the Saturday evening concert is actress and comedian, Kim Coles, who is best known for her roles in two television series, In Living Color and Living Single.

The festivities carry over to Sunday with “Marketplace & PraiseFest on the Plaza,” during which festival goers again can enjoy items provided by craft and food vendors. Musical entertainment on Sunday – sponsored by the Knight Foundation – will be provided by a host of groups, including House of Hope Mass Choir, Fellowship Bible Mass Choir, Destined for Greatness, Bailey Rocket Brass Band, and many others. The headlining artist for the evening concert is Stellar and Dove Award Winner, John P. Kee, and The New Life Community Choir. The special guest for this concert is Stellar Award Winning musician, Kierra Sheard.

A host of special presentations is planned for both inside and outside the building on Saturday and Sunday, including special drumming performances, face painting, storytelling, dance lessons, and other family activities and educational programming. Visitors will have an opportunity to take advantage of a special admission rate that also allows them to purchase Museum memberships at discounted rates – available only during the Festival. (The Pan African Festival is a great time to join the Tubman Museum!)