Singer Kenny Bobien is scheduled to perform at the festival.
The Trenton African American Pride Festival is set to kick off its third year with a youth sports expo at Cadwalader Park on Saturday, Aug. 10.
The youth sports expo, one of several new additions to this year’s festival, will link the various youth sports organizations in the city for a day of fun and exercise.
The sports expo is scheduled to be held from from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and feature basketball, football, soccer, tennis, golf and boxing exhibitions. The festival will be held the following weekend from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17 at Cadwalader Park.
The Trenton African American Pride Festival Youth Sports Expo has partnered with several city youth sports organizations to bring a variety of sports to the event. The West End Little League will kick things off with a softball game.
The Trenton Football Club and the Pop Warner Football League will run exhibition games during the day. The National Junior Tennis League and First Tee will offer lessons and exhibition games in their respective sports, and Trenton’s Boxing Club will teach kids how to spar in the boxing ring.
A youth basketball exhibition game will be held in the afternoon as will the annual “From the Block to the Boardroom Basketball Game.” The Trenton YMCA and the Boys and Girls Club will provide volunteers to assist with the event.
The Trenton African American Pride Festival’s stated goal is to inspire an appreciation for the diversity in Trenton’s African-American and Caribbean Diasporas. The festival was first held in 2011.
The 2013 edition of the festival will also have a full schedule of cultural entertainment; including music by gospel house giant Kenny Bobien, who will perform hits like “You Are My Friend” and “Grateful.”
Also set for the stage at the festival: funk, dance and R&B band Valerie Adams and the Dimensions performing Motown, soul and jazz hits; Cimarrones, an Afro-Cuban percussion and dance ensemble performing authentic bomba and plena; and R&B group The Main Event Band.
Tying the Caribbean aspect of the African heritage will be reggae artists Larry White, Richie Lane, and Jah Pops.
“It was very important for us that the entertainment reflect the diversity of the African Diaspora, since that is the whole purpose of this festival, to celebrate our African ancestry,” said Nina Dawkins, chair of the festival’s entertainment committee. “We have some great performances lined up, plenty of fun for the kids, great food and vendors. It will be a fun day at the park for the whole family. Who doesn’t love that?”
The entertainment will be hosted by radio DJ Patty Jackson of 105.3 WDAS FM.
Also on the schedule are performances by Egun Omode (Children of the Ancestors), Trenton’s own West African dance and drum troupe, and the Yoruba Folklore Performing Arts Company will kick things off with a traditional African dance presentation.
There will also be African drumming, Capoeira demonstrations, Brooklyn Jumbies stilt walkers, and more. The Children’s Village will feature story telling, African drum lessons, arts and crafts, inflatable jumps and face painting. A variety of vendors will be located throughout the park selling an array of food and wares.
The festival will also feature a Healthy Living Pavilion in a section of the park to raise awareness of the health issues affecting the African-American community. Author and holistic wellness entrepreneur Queen Afua will be the keynote speaker. There will also be free health screenings, health care and holistic wellness speakers, natural product vendors, as well as fitness and wellness activities.
For the complete schedule of events, go online to taapf.com.
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