Grammy-nominated R&B singer Musiq Soulchild will once again be the headliner at the Baltimore County African American Cultural Festival on Saturday.
The free festival runs from from noon to 5 p.m. at Patriot Plaza, 400 Washington Ave., in Towson. The educational village will open at 10 a.m.
The multi-platinum singer and songwriter whose style blends R&B, funk, blues, jazz and gospel influences with hip hop, also performed at last year’s festival. Several local bands also will perform on the main stage and a gospel stage.
This year’s festival includes the following villages or areas:
- Children’s Champion Zone, with a fashion show, performances and more.
- Health & Wellness Pavillion, offering onsite screenings and other county health-related resources.
- Educational Village, featuring a youth panel and a depiction by Frederick Douglass impersonator Brian Morrison.
- Economic and Financial Empowerment Zone, with workshops on careers, financial literacy, contracting opportunities and networking.
- Historical Village, featuring exhibits on the Buffalo Soldiers and the Negro Baseball League, and the second annual Underground Railroad Experience.
- Youth Entrepreneurship Zone, teaching financial literacy to youth.
- Youth Entertainment Pavillion, showcasing local youth talent.
A DJ Tent Party and food and craft vendors will round out the event.
“Every year we always try to meet the community where they are,” said Kendrick Tilghman, the festival’s president. “This year is our first inaugural Financial Empowerment Zone. We’re very education-driven and so the brand of the festival is always clean and futuristic. We recognize the wisdom and experience of our baby boomers, but we’re really driven to bring in the energy of our millennials and centennials.”
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The Baltimore County African American Cultural Festival, Inc. was founded in 1996 by state delegate and lifetime county resident Adrienne Jones. Jones, now speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates, envisioned a vibrant festival of the arts and culture in Baltimore County that would celebrate the rich and thriving traditions of the African American community.
Held annually on the third Saturday in September, the sprawling outdoor festivaltakes over the plaza between the historic and current Towson courthouses, and all the surrounding streets.
The festival raises funds to support charitable programs led by itsboard of directors such as scholarships, summer camps and historical preservation projects, according to the Maryland State Arts Council.
Each year, the festival awards scholarships to Baltimore County students pursuing careers in business, science, technology and the arts. Students must display academic excellence and be involved in their communities. The festival has awarded more than $120,000 in scholarships to Baltimore County high school graduates.
“It’s very intentional that we reach students that we felt may fall through the cracks,” said Tilghman. “We were very intentional about the arts and one of the requirements being a 2.5 GPA. We wanted to provide help and resources to the students who didn’t quite make a 3.0 but still wanted to continue their education in a trade format, community college format, four-year university, and in the arts.”