Harlem Week Is Back With Free Concerts, Movies, Job Fair And More

HARLEM, NY — Harlem's biggest block party is back — and this year, it's a whole 16 days' worth of free community events to celebrate and inspire the neighborhood.

From now until Aug. 16, the 52nd annual HARLEM WEEK will take over uptown with free live music, tributes to famous Harlem neighbors, food, fashion, community health events, and a job fair — all under the banner of this year's theme: "Honoring Our Legacy."

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It's more than a festival — HARLEM WEEK represents the "Beginning of the Second Harlem Renaissance," actor, producer and HARLEM DAY co-founder Ossie Davis said.

What started in 1974 as a one-day event by Davis and Lloyd Williams has evolved into a two-week-long celebration of Harlem championing Black joy, creativity and progress.

This year's lineup is ambitious, with tributes to neighborhood legends like a neighborhood walk in honor of NAACP leader Hazel Dukes and a family run in honor of Percy Sutton, a leader in the Civil Rights movement, both on Aug. 8.

The summer celebration also features several free activities for kids, including screenings of "Zootopia 2" on Aug. 9 and "Michael," the Michael Jackson movie on Aug. 5, as well as family festivals on Aug. 9 and Aug. 15 with games, arts and crafts, storytimes, live performances, a double-dutch competition, a spelling bee and more.

For older kids, the festival also includes a teen "hack-a-thon" as well as a teen conference, both on Aug. 10.

This year, the celebration will also include adult programming, including a conference on Black health matters on Aug. 13, a job and career fair on Aug. 12, a climate change summit on Aug. 5, and an economic development day on Aug. 11.

Meanwhile, foodies and art lovers can indulge at the Uptown Night Market under the viaduct, Summerstage performances, and the Summer in the City festival, which includes live music, theater and a fashion show.

On Aug. 16, the celebration will host HARLEM DAY, a family-friendly closing party with three stages of entertainment, with food and craft vendors from around the world, organizers said.

For a full lineup of events, click here.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.