Goombay! 2007
Just when you were getting ready to mourn the ‘end of summer,’ yea-yo, Goombay! 2007 arrives to save the day, and send summer into its’ second wind!
By Bill Moore
Sponsored by the YMI Cultural Center, Goombay festivities will be held August 24, 25 and 26. The ‘07 version will maintain the tradition of great music and food, lots of it. Remember the Caribbean jerk chicken, Cajun ‘gator’ tail, Philly cheese steak among other gustatory delights? If not, here’s a second chance! Besides, what’s a few extra pounds you can easily loose by dancing in the streets?
This year, the featured band will be Brass Construction, playing some of their well known hits, ‘Can You See the Light,’ ‘Attitude,’ ‘Get Up’ and others. Traditional African percussionist Darrell Rose will also be there to both perform and provide lessons in the time honored techniques of African drumming.
In addition to the
food and music, a host of vendors will be offering native crafts,
African art and clothing as well opportunities to learn about African
culture through workshops, craft demonstrations and other venues
available through the auspices of the YMICC.
For those unfamiliar with the history of the Goombay Festival, it began
as an effort to reenergize the YMICC after it fell into some disrepair
in the late 1970’s. Determined to reverse this trend, Gloria Free,
Willie Vincent, Jacqueline King, and Florence Green among many others,
devised the festival based on a similar celebration they witnessed in
Miami. The rest, as they say, is history.
Today, the YMICC is the anchor for the Asheville African-American
community locally known as “the Block.” Much of the proceeds of Goombay
go to support the work of the YMICC in it’s effort to be a positive and
motivational force within the Block.
YMICC director Harry Harrison, who found his way to Asheville by way of
Charlotte, Philadelphia and Detroit, has had considerable success in
uncovering much of the positive ethnic culture of African-American
communities. Mr. Harrison discussed some of the changes to this year’s
Goombay Festival and new features you can expect to see as well as some
speculations for the next few years.
For starters, the festival has been designated an official Asheville
celebration by the city. Mr. Harrison sees this as a positive
development because it moves Goombay outside the narrow confines of an
exclusive ‘Block’ party to a commemoration of African culture, open to
all who desire to both enjoy and learn. Also in the plans for future
festivals are workshops, seminars, films, concerts, and acclaimed
performing artists.
There will also be opportunities to leave Goombay with more cash than
you brought! For 15 dollars, you can buy a book of tickets which will
entitle you to three chances everyday to win 1,000 dollars!
Finally, Mr. Harrison is planning to provide a ‘theme’ each year for
the festival which can involve the various art forms from many
different disciplines and genres. The theme designated will determine
the direction of future festivals both during the three days of Goombay
as well as the weeks leading up to it.
Mr. Harrison hopes this will catch the imagination of all who
participate — a fun and enlightening experience which will tell the
story of Asheville’s history, it’s interconnectedness with, and
indebtedness for a century, to the African-American community and the
YMICC.
If you would like to volunteer or receive more information about Goombay, contact the YMI Cultural Center at (828) 252-4614 or (828) 257-4541. Visit www.ymicc.org or email [email protected].
Friday, August 24
12:00 p.m. Opening South Market Street Stage
2:00 p.m. Mickey Mills And His Steel Drums
4:00 p.m. Durtysol (R&B) South Market Street Stage
5:30 p.m. Chuck Beattie Band (Blues) South Market Street Stage
7:00 p.m. Members of Cameo Band (R&B/Funk) South Market Street Stage
Saturday, August 25
12:00 p.m. Parade – Downtown to South Market Street Stage
1:00 p.m. The YMI Community Jazz Band (Jazz) South Market Street Stage
2:00 p.m. Dub Addis Band (Reggae)
South Market Street Stage
3:00 p.m. Durtysol (R&B) South Market Street Stage
4:00 p.m. Free Flow (R&B) South Market Street Stage
5:00 p.m. Plunky & Oneness (Funk, Jazz, Afro-Fusion) South Market Street Stage
7:00 p.m. Brass Construction Band (R&B/Funk) South Market Street Stage
Sunday, August 26, 2007
11:00 a.m. Outdoor Worship Service South Market Street Stage
1:00 p.m. Gospel Music South Market Street Stage
3:00 p.m. Dub Addis Band (Reggae) South Market Street Stage
4:00 p.m. TBA
5:00 p.m. Closing/Drummers/Dancers
Note: There will be a raffle drawing before the final show every
night. Events and times are subject to change. Sponsored in-part by the
Grove Park Inn and Spa, Mission Hospital, Buncombe County Parks and
Recreation Department, Pepsi Cola, Best Buy, Wachovia and others.
