African CultureFest Seeks Performers, Exhibitors, Food Vendors

African musicians, dancers, exhibitors and food vendors are needed for the upcoming “Africa CultureFest: The Countries and Cultures of Black Panther and Beyond,” which will be hosted by Columbia Association (CA) and the Howard County Library System.

This free family event will be held on Sunday, October 14 from 1:30-4:30pm at Howard County Library System’s Miller Branch (9421 Frederick Road in Ellicott City).

The Africa CultureFest is a great place for individuals, bands, organizations and dance groups representing the cultures, traditions and languages highlighted in the movie Black Panther — as well as other places on the African continent — to participate in an afternoon of performances, displays and demonstrations.

The producers of Black Panther drew upon a wide range of African cultures, traditions and languages from countries as varied as Algeria, Benin, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mali, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania. For this Africa CultureFest, it is hoped that residents of Howard County (and nearby) who are from these and other African countries can represent their cultures and traditions at the Africa CultureFest through exhibit tables and performances. Performers can be children or adults.

Food trucks from any of the African countries or cultures are also needed to sell snacks and refreshments.
At this free event, people are invited to show the Howard County community what makes their countries and cultures unique. Exhibitors may not sell items or services unless they are food truck vendors selling food. Musicians will be asked to perform for 10-15 minutes.

At the event, families will be able to pick up a “CultureFest Passport” and complete it for door prizes by visiting exhibitors’ tables. Photos will be taken at the event of exhibitors, performers and the audience.
Interested parties should contact Laura Smit, program manager for CA’s International Exchange and Multicultural Programs, by calling 410-715-3162 or sending an email to International@ColumbiaAssociation.org.

About Columbia Association
Columbia Association (CA) is a nonprofit community services corporation that manages Columbia, Maryland, a planned community that is home to approximately 100,000 people and several thousand businesses — and was named the No. 1 small city to live in by Money Magazine in 2016. Additional information about CA is available at ColumbiaAssociation.org.