African Parade

The African Day Parade and Street Festival taking place on Sunday, August 5th 2007, is a unique opportunity for the African Community and the other communities to showcase their products and celebrate their cultures and traditions, sharing with the diverse community of Harlem and the United States. The Parade will take place on 116 St from Madison Avenue to 8 Avenue/ Morningside Drive. Vendor space will be available along the street between Manhattan Avenue and 8th Avenue/Morningside Avenue. A portable stage will be raised on Morningside Drive for Performing Artists and African Designer showcases.The African Day Parade promises to become one of the most diverse African cultural events to take place in New York City. The Parade brings together Performing Artists and Cultural Groups representing Central, North, South, East, and West Africa. The breadth of the work extends from musical performance to fashion, design art, folklore, dance, and live bands…The African Day Parade is the brainchild of young African professionals; from diverse backgrounds. These organizers saw not only, "a lack of representation on stages from the countries that comprise Africa," but "an absence of African culture in American festivals and cultural productions as a whole". It is intended that in the coming years, the Parade will become a forum for participating groups to share history and culture.The theme for the First Annual 2007 African Day Parade is Africa is the Motherland. The African Day Parade participants are actually, Citizens of Africa, African Americans, and the Caribbean Community; Artists, Professionals, and Media Executives. This parade is an opportunity to unite all African descendants in self-expression and understanding, sharing information, history and resources. Mr. Kone Mamadou, the initiator and founder of the event, believes that the upcoming African Day Parade will present a true picture of African culture.