This July, The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History is proud to celebrate the 41st Annual African World Festival, hosted July 12th - 14th.

Join us at Hart Plaza for this 3-day celebration that highlights the beauty, strength, and spirit of the African Diaspora. We expect almost 20,000 people to enjoy our performances, vendors, food, clothing, health products, visual arts, live demonstrations, community resources and information, and much more!

Our gathering this year will highlight and represent our community and our shared past, present, and future. We look forward to exchanging stories and honoring where we've been and where we're going.

Schedule:

Friday, July 12, 2024

AWF Camp Day

-- 9:30 AM | Camps Arrive – Jefferson Entrance
-- 10:00 AM | AWF Camp Workshops – Refer to Map
-- 11:30 AM | Lunch with Mosaic Youth Theater – The Pyramid
-- 1:30 PM | Camp Photos – AWF Altar
-- 2:00 PM | Camps Depart – Jefferson Entrance

Heritage Works Village

-- 5:00 PM | Marie Basse Wiles – Dance
-- 6:00 PM | Idy Ciss – Dance
-- 8:00 PM | Naomi & Ibrahima Diouf – Dance

Ford Main Stage

-- Opening Ceremony – 4:00 PM | African Drums & Libations
-- 5:30 PM | Larry Lee & the Back in the Day Band – Music (Old School R&B / Soul)
-- 7:00 PM | Vox Sambou – Music (Haitian / Kompa)
-- Headliner – 8:30 PM | Third World – Music (Reggae)

The Pyramid Stage

-- 11:30 AM | Mosaic Youth Theater of Detroit – Theater
-- 3:00 PM | Bryce the Third – Music (Hip Hop / Orator)
-- 5:00 PM | Rockim Williamson – Music (Hip Hop / Spoken Word)
-- Headliner – 6:30 PM | Urban Art Orchestra with De’Sean Jones – Music (Jazz / Orchestral)

The Nile Waterfront

-- 5:30 PM | Motor City Street Dance Academy – Breakdancing
-- Contest – 6:00 PM | HBCU Family Feud – Trivia
-- 9:30 PM | DJ Blakito & DJ Killa Squid – Music (2000s Mix / Afrobeat)

Roving Performances

-- Starting Point: Watoto and Wazee Village – 6:00 PM | TeMaTe African Dance - Dance
-- Starting Point: Watoto and Wazee Village – 6:00 PM | KM Soul - Music (Indie / R&B)
-- Starting Point: Live Art Area Electric Garden – 7:00 PM | Authentically Detroit - Podcast

Saturday, July 13, 2024

Heritage Works Village

-- 12:00 PM | Anthony Brogdon – Talk (Business)
-- 2:00 PM | Dana Thompson – Dance (Hustle)
-- 3:00 PM | Lisa McCall – Dance (Afro-Cuban)
-- 4:30 PM | Sereer Drum & Dance (Ibrahima Diouf & Marie Basse Wiles) – Drums & Dance (African)
-- 8:30 PM | Djembe Demo (Idy Ciss & Mouminatou Camara) – Drums (African)

Ford Main Stage

-- 3:30 PM | Allen Dennard Quintet – Music (Jazz)
-- Featured Local Artist – 5:00 PM | Charity – Music (R&B)
-- 6:30 PM | Mokoomba – Music (Zimbabwean Traditional)
-- Headliner – 8:15 PM | Rapsody – Music (Hip Hop / Rap)

The Pyramid Stage

-- 12:00 PM | Ballet Folklorico of Detroit – Theater
-- 2:00 PM | Fyütch – Music (Kid’s Hip Hop / Orator)
-- Headliner – 3:30 PM | The Chris Canas Band – Music (Blues / Rock)
-- Headliner – 5:30 PM | Apropos – Music (R&B)

The Nile Waterfront

-- Contest – 6:00 PM | The Stars of Tomorrow Showcase – Multi-Genre
-- 7:00 PM | DJ Zlight – Music
-- 9:30 PM | Sheefy McFly & Donovan Glover – (2000s Mix / Techno)

Roving Performances

-- Starting Point: Watoto and Wazee Village – 12:00 PM | Wise Guys Chess Club – Workshop
-- Starting Point: Watoto and Wazee Village – 2:00 PM | Love Rose Headwrapping – Special Event
-- Starting Point: The Nile – 4:00 PM | RollerCade
-- Starting Point: Southwest Area – 8:00 PM | TeMaTe African Dance - Dance

Sunday, July 14, 2024

Heritage Works Village

-- 2:00 PM | Yoga (Deborah Henderson) – Fitness & Health
-- 3:30 PM | Ibrahima Diouf – Dance (African)
-- 4:00 PM | Naomi Diouf – Dance (African)
-- 6:00 PM | Assane Konte – Dance (Afro-Cuban)
-- 7:30 PM | Sabar Drum & Dance (Marie Basse Wiles & Idy Ciss) – Drum & Dance (African)

Ford Main Stage

-- 3:30 PM | Detroit Youth Choir – Music (Gospel)
-- 5:00 PM | Dumpstaphunk – Music (Funk)
-- Headliner – 6:30 PM | Thandiswa Mazwai – Music (South African soul, funk, jazz, traditional)
-- Festival Closer – 7:30 PM | DJ Killa Squid (2000s Mix / Afrobeat)
-- 9:00 PM | Closing Remarks

The Pyramid Stage

-- 12:00 PM | Mosaic Youth Theater – Theater
-- 1:30 PM | TeMaTe African Drum & Dance – Music (Children’s Entertainment)
-- 4:00 PM | Drey Skonie & Klouds Band – Music (Jazz / Motown)
-- Headliner – 5:30 PM | Mokoomba – Music (Zimbabwean Traditional)

The Nile Waterfront

-- 1:00 PM | Ballet Folklorico of Detroit – Theater (Children’s Entertainment)
-- Contest – 5:30 PM | MCSDA Dance-Off Contest – Dance

Roving Performances

-- Starting Point: Watoto and Wazee Village – 12:00 PM | Wise Guys Chess Club - Workshop
-- Starting Point: Front Entrance – 3:00 PM | Historical Tour with Jamon Jordan
-- Starting Point: Watoto and Wazee Village – 5:00 PM | Traditional Martial Arts (Ramessu Iyi) - Special Event
-- Starting Point: Watoto and Wazee Village – 5:00 PM | Love Rose Headwrapping - Special Event
-- Starting Point: Watoto and Wazee Village – 8:00 PM | KM Soul - Music (Indie / R&B)

Performances for Children

- Ballet Folklorico of Detroit
- Detroit Youth Choir
- TeMaTe African Drum & Dance
- Fyütch
- Mosaic Youth Theater

Dates: July 12 - 14, 2024

Location: Hart Plaza - 1 West Jefferson Detroit, MI 48201

Tickets:

$15 — Adult non-member
$10 — Non-member senior citizens age 65 and older
$10 — Non-member student over age 13
Free admission for all children under age 13

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