Nationally Known

As I said before, each year I attend some of the largest Afro-American and Hispanic festivals east of the Mississippi, and this year was no exception. The Harlem Weeks in New York City, for example, run every August, centering around Lenox Avenue (a.k.a. Malcolm X Boulevard) and 125th Street. Everybody who is somebody can be seen along the big 1-2-5 near the Apollo Theatre. Vendors and street performers tend to set up within a four-block radius to sell their wares, and photographers with backgrounds line up around the abandoned buildings where the famous theatre stands for anybody who wishes for that "Kodak moment". Not to mention the ones who walk the derelict but vibrant 125th with professional cameras taking pictures of the scenery, and the many performers, like Nas here, who was at the Apollo as part of the Harlem Weeks. Another place that is high on my list is the Philadelphia Greek Picnic (top left corner). This is one of the three major fraternity/sorority gatherings taking place on the East Coast. More than 600,000 people representing the Great Greek Letters from years past gather up along South Street on Friday, shopping, frolicking, exchanging numbers, selling their wares, and doing just about whatever. On Saturdays, the venue is Fairmount Park, between Girard Avenue and the area known as the Belmont Plateau. That is where major celebrities and entertainers gather up for a benefit concert and also where the sorors and the frats have their stepshows. On Sunday, the final day, the place to be is along the Jersey Shores, specifically in Belmar Township and Asbury Park. There the masses trek along the Boardwalks and take part in major afterparties. One more place I cannot forget is the Indiana Black Expo (top center), for the second time. This one is considered one of the largest expos in the nation, stationed at various places in the state capital of Indianapolis and featuring many well-known stars.Two regulars on the Black Expo concert circuit are known regulars everywhere else : Patti LaBelle and Anita Baker. They perform at the American Legion Square, in front of the headquarters of one of this nation's largest societies of war survivors. Recently they have showcased the recently created Muhammad Ali Amateur Boxing Tournament and another venue which used to house the old minor league baseball team has been customized to hold a few R&B/hip-hop concerts.The expo itself takes place yearly at the Indiana Convention Center and RCA Dome, and with great exhibits and great food, it is not to be missed. Around 400 to 500 thousand people from all over took part in this event, and I DO plan on repeating this experience with those masses.


Some other places that may be of interest (Links to be made to non-linked items at a later date) . . .

Artscape(http://www.artscape.org) Taste Of DC Festival(www.tasteofwashington.com) Atlantic City Black Bike Week Freaknik The Heritage Festival(http://www.aahf.org) Columbus Jazz And Ribs Fest Cinco De Mayo New Orleans Boston Hispanic Festival(http://www.latinofest.org) Cincinnati Riverboat Jazz Festival Penn Relays(http://www.pennrelays.com)