African American jazz music played on bagpipes? Maybe to the tune of "Amazing Grace"?

"Where?" you ask!

At the 10th Annual African American Family Festival!

On June 25th, Ngozi Incorporated will again bring an entire day of African flavor to the ‘Burg. But, as you can tell, this year’s festival will bring even more diverse artists than in years past. The reason behind this diversity stems from the Preserving Diverse Cultures Division of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. As a wrap up to the Council’s 2000 conference, which is being held in Harrisburg, the Council is utilizing the African Family Festival as the venue to showcase performing artists from across the Commonwealth. From 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Ngozi will host the "Celebration of Performance Traditions," and Rufus Harley, the Jazz Bagpipe musician, will lead the processional. Interspersed among the African American performers will be artists of other diverse cultures, including Chinese and Spanish dancers to round out the program’s cultural preservation theme. Among the Council’s entertainment contributions will be the Legendary Bluenotes — known for their hits, "If You Don’t Know Me By Now" and "Don’t Leave Me This Way."

Of course, no African Festival would be complete without the traditions of Africa. King Ogun Ali Muhammad and His Spiritual Warriors will perform a demonstration of African Martial Arts, accompanied by traditional African drumming rhythms, provided by Ngozi’s drummers. Throughout the festival grounds, the African Market Place is filled with native African vendors who are always more than willing to share the stories behind their wares, which often proves to be the most educational experience of the day.

Local musical performers are known to bring the spice of Central PA to the stage every year at festival time. On the roster for this year are Ra The Sun Lord and other Hip Hop/Rap artists, Me & Us band (R&B), and Unity (Caribbean music) — a variety of sounds to fit most any taste.

But the Band Shell is not the only place to go for entertainment this time around. In the Pavilion, "SisterArt" is a new addition with a totally artistic flare! SisterArt features women artists of color as its visual art exhibit, but there’s more! Performances of Poetry, Theater, Music, and Dance offer a viable alternative or addition to the main stage attractions. Some of the featured artists will include Cheryl "Chee Chee" Carter, Lynn Blackston, Nataki McNeal, Latifah Shabazz, Maia Truesdale, Christine Johnson, Jayne Henderson, and Diane Hetes.

Whether you’re interested in the more diverse aspects of African culture, love to sample the international foods, are an arts appreciator, like to shop the wide array of vendor stands, or simply seek to spend a day in the park with plenty to see and do, the African Family Festival has something for everyone. For the serious of mind, Minister Angelo Muhammad, and Sister Evelyn Morrison are the scheduled as keynote speakers. Children’s activities are also on the agenda. And for the rest of you, "Wear your African Garb!"

Held rain or shine, the 10th Annual African Family Festival will be held Sunday June 25, 2000 from 11:00 a.m. – Dusk in Reservoir Park, Harrisburg. Admission is free.