Harlem Week Kicks Off 7 Days Of Virtual Festivities

HARLEM, NY — Undeterred by the coronavirus pandemic, the 46th annual Harlem Week kicked off virtually on Monday, the first of eight days' worth of entirely online activities to celebrate the neighborhood — and the birthdays of two prominent politicians.

Monday's calendar included a Virtual Vendor Village, promoting more than a dozen local businesses in an online marketplace.

Meanwhile, the annual Harlem 5K Run is being held this week as a virtual race, which participants can run at their convenience during a time of their choosing. This year's 5K honors the 100th birthday of Percy Sutton, the civil rights leader and former Manhattan Borough President who died in 2009, as well as the Charles Rangel, the longtime Harlem congressman who turned 90 in June.

Read the full schedule of events here.

Other events on tap throughout the week include:

• Youth Education & Career Conference 2.0 & Hack-A-Thon (Monday, 1 p.m. – Tuesday, 11:59 p.m.): a conversation between young activists and students, as well as a hack-a-thon aimed at middle and high-school students
• Greater Harlem Business Conference (Tuesday, 12-2 p.m.): A virtual conversation with businesspeople in "Harlems around the world," covering topics like cybersecurity and online marketing for small businesses
• COVID-19 Summit (Tuesday, 2-4 p.m.): Bringing together medical experts to discuss the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on communities of color
• Percy Sutton Harlem Entrepreneurs Virtual Boot Camp (Wednesday, 2-4 p.m.): A "crash course" in business success, especially during the pandemic
• Charles B. Rangel Systemic Racism & Economic Justice Summit (Thursday 2-5 p.m.): Speakers including Rangel, Judge Milton Tingling and others will discuss systemic racism in the U.S.
• The Moth Virtual Story Slam (Friday, 7-9 p.m.): Featuring performances by Harlem storytellers
• Harlem Day Music Festival (Sunday, 1-7 p.m.): The founding event of Harlem Week, featuring talks with Stevie Wonder and Doug E. Fresh, and chamber music performances by composers including Duke Ellington.