Festival Sundiata Presents Black Arts Fest At Seattle Center And Celebrates Juneteenth

Seattle Center Festál continues with Festival Sundiata presents Black Arts Fest, an in-person festival Friday, June 17 through Sunday, June 19 in the Armory Food & Event Hall, the Fisher Pavilion Rooftop and the Mural Amphitheatre. This year's festival has a lineup of performers, vendors and food that visitors are sure to enjoy in celebration of Juneteenth and Father's Day.

"My passion is to share Black arts with the community," said Board Member, Carl Copeland.

Guest artists from across the country will convene in Seattle, including The Bar-Kays, Rick James' Original Stone City Band, The Queens of Soul Jazz, Saeed Renaud and Kalimba. Other activities feature an art gala, youth drill and dance teams, a children's village, an African dance troupe and African drum circles. Other festival highlights include a marketplace with over 60 vendors, Tuskegee Airmen, Buffalo Soldiers, and the American History Traveling Museum: The Unspoken Truths.

"The Black arts scene is alive and well in Seattle and this is an exciting opportunity to engage and celebrate," said Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. "Let's build One Seattle through vibrant artistic expression, honoring our dynamic communities and sharing common experiences with one another."

The free and open to the public festival boasts a family reunion-atmosphere with fun for visitors of all ages. Festival Sundiata celebrates Black culture and educates the community on the contributions of African Americans who form a melting pot of cultures.

"Festival Sundiata is one of our most robust Festál festivals," said Seattle Center Director Robert Nellams. "Celebrating Black arts is integral to Seattle's wider community, and Festival Sundiata ensure visitors have a great time doing it."

Millions of people have been touched by the Festival Sundiata experience and come back annually. The free programs will be even more entertaining with great production value and classic performances. Most importantly, Festival Sundiata creates an opportunity to bring families and diverse communities together in unprecedented ways.

Festival Sundiata (pronounced: Soon-jah-tah) is the longest-running African American festival celebrated in the Pacific Northwest and Seattle, holding its first festival in 1980. The festival is named in honor of Sundiata Keita, the historic and legendary Mansa (King of Kings) of the Mali Empire in West Africa. King Sundiata rescued his people's griot and created one of the most significant cultural and economic kingdoms in Africa.

Information on the festival is available at festivalsundiata.organd www.seattlecenter.com.

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