African American Dance Ensemble
Join us for the 40th Kwanzaa Festival, hosted by the African American Dance Ensemble, as we celebrate the values of family, community, and culture. Save the date for January 1st at the Historic Durham Armory (212 Foster Street, Durham, NC), where the doors will open at 11:00 am and performances will kick off at 2:00 pm.
Kwanzaa Fest is free and welcomes everyone, featuring health screenings, a Children's Village, tasty food, dancing, and a marketplace for vendors. Let’s unite to honor peace, love, and respect for all while upholding the traditions of African and African American dance and music.
In memory of Baba Chuck Davis, your contributions of canned goods and personal care items will be donated to a local non-profit.
We are currently looking for performers for our 40th Kwanzaa Fest, so if you or someone you know is interested in showcasing their talent, please contact us at aade.kwanzaafest@gmail.com
The African American Dance Ensemble proudly held its first Kwanzaa Fest in Durham back in 1986. Kwanzaa Fest is held every year on January 1st celebrating the principle of Imani or Faith. Mostly hosted at the Durham Armory, we have also hosted at Hayti Heritage Center and Walltown Park Recreation Center. In 2022, we were thrilled to celebrate our inaugural Kwanzaa event in Raleigh, highlighting the principle of Ujima,
which focuses on collective work and responsibility. This event took place
at C3 at the Venue.
Baba Chuck Davis emceed Kwanzaa Fest each year until 2016, Pierce
Freelon emceed in 2017, and founder member Venita Allen has hosted
since 2018. In 2021, Venita and other AADE members hosted Kwanzaa Fest
online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kwanzaa Fest presents a fantastic chance to celebrate our communities and the goodness of our efforts. It serves as a vibrant marketplace and an energetic performing arts concert, featuring dance, music, poetry, and a variety of other performances. Artists and performance groups from the area unite with the African American Dance Ensemble for a meaningful celebration filled with love, sharing, and the encouragement of entrepreneurship as we welcome the new year.
