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- This event has passed.
Umoja Festival (Portsmouth)
May 26 - May 28
The Umoja Festival is one of the oldest festivals in Virginia celebrating African-American Culture and Heritage. Umoja is a Kiswahili word meaning “unity” in the family, community, and nation. The Umoja Festival entertainment is a unique combination of contemporary and ancient art forms. The event begins Friday evening with the Council of Elders ceremony and continues with live music that night and all day Saturday. The festival ends Sunday afternoon with traditional Gospel music.
Contributions to the ambiance of the Festival include:
- Handmade Items
- Baskets
- Paintings
- Prints
- Quilts
- Other assorted hand-crafted wares
- A marketplace of sculptures
- Vendors selling ethnic foods
- Live Music throughout the weekend
- Heritage tours or performances – tracing the contributions of African Americans throughout Portsmouth’s history.