This year’s African-American Festival will take place Saturday and Sunday, July 20 and 21, on The University of Toledo Scott Park Campus of Energy and Innovation.

The festival is the annual fundraiser organized by the Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union. It also will include a prayer breakfast Friday, July 19, from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Bethlehem Baptist Church New Life Center, 1430 W. Bancroft St., and a parade on Saturday at 10 a.m. that will start at Dorr Street and Detroit Avenue and end at Nelson Grace Park.

“This is our major fundraiser for the year,” said DeLise Simmons of the Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union, who coordinates the festival. “This is a thank-you to the community and our members for their continuous support, and a chance for us to all come together as a family.”

Musical performances over the weekend will take place from 2 to 10 p.m., and gates will open at 1 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday’s musical acts will be Zapp, jazz saxophonist Joseph Vincelli, singer Ramona Collins, The JAMM Band, Imagine Schools, Jay Rush Jennings, and The Five Deep Band. Taking the stage Sunday will be the The Dramatics, Toledo Youth Choir, The Rance Allen Group, Debra Brock, Darius Coleman and the D.C. Singers, and The JAMM Band.

Children’s rides are free and sponsored by State Farm Insurance.

Food will be sold by local vendors, including Black Kettle Barbeque, Ruby’s Kitchen and K&K Concessions. Because it is a family event, there will be no sale of alcoholic beverages.

Other local vendors and organizations that will be at the festival will include the Lucas County Workforce — The Source, Sprint, Genesis Village, Kids Unlimited Academy, Imagine Schools, Susan G. Komen of Northwest Ohio, Toledo Public Schools and the Toledo Fair Housing Center.

“We look forward to hosting this festival every year,” said Dr. Shanda Gore, UT associate vice president for equity, diversity and community engagement. “The yearly estimated attendance of 12,000 individuals brings a richness of food, music, culture and the strong sense of community to campus.”

Gore added, “Our office, in collaboration with Rocket Wellness and the College of Medicine Student and Faculty Diversity, will be providing free health screenings right at the festival. We hope that the screenings will not only be informational, but instrumental in the prevention of any life-threatening health situations.”

For more information on the African-American Festival, visit toledourban.com/TUFCU/AAF.aspx.

Media Coverage
The Blade (July 18, 2013)
The Blade (July 18, 2013)
The Blade (July 21, 2013)
WNWO, WTOL 11 and 13 ABC (July 22, 2013)