It’s Time to Par-tay, Mon!
The YMI will host Asheville’s Goombay festival August 25-27 along Eagle and S. Market Streets, the traditional African American community known as The Block. The festival is based on a Bermuda Islands’ tradition of freeing slaves for one day to do as they wished. Today it is a family and community celebration geared to educate the public and celebrate the underrepresented culture of African Americans and their African and Caribbean heritage.
Goombay
kicks off at noon Friday, Aug. 25, with a special opening celebration
at 5:00 p.m. Festivities continue until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday
nights, and until 6:00 p.m. Sunday. Each day will include activities
ranging from a variety of music performances, vendor booths offering
traditional African art and crafts, designer clothes and jewelry,
public service information, and food – glorious food from a number of
traditions. A children’s African Village is open from noon to 6:00 p.m.
on Saturday, offering numerous entertainments and activities for
children and families: face-painting, story-tellers, games, and live
music and dance. The African Village is also an ideal spot for older
children (those in their 40s, 50s, and above!) to rest on the grass and
escape the heat of the day.
For this
reporter, long a Goombay fan, the best parts of Goombay are the music
and the food. Everything from Caribbean jerk chicken to Cajun-style
alligator to Philly cheese steaks finds its way onto my waistline. The
Island of Delight, where the cuisine tempts one into sampling it all
and settling at a table to relax and enjoy it, is sponsored by the
Asheville Citizen-Times.
Fortunately,much of what you eat can get worked off by dancing to the beat of the
bands and other performers who share the stages. The mainstage,
sponsored by Western Union and BiLo stores, features the 2006 festival
headliner, the rhythm-and-blues band Midnight Star. Also on the
mainstage are such well-known and popular bands as R&B standouts
Westsound and Sandy “B” and the All-Stars, and renowned blues star
Chuck Beattie & Blues by Design.
Local artist
Rockell Whiteside will also appear on the mainstage performing
inspirational and gospel favorites, and the Osa-Meji Dance Troupe will
present its acclaimed African dance and drumming. Other music showcased
during Goombay includes steel drums (Mickey Mills & Steel), reggae
fusion (Dubb Axxess), and contemporary dance and drum music (Free
Spirit).
A highlight of
every Goombay is the parade of drummers and performers, which takes
place beginning at noon Saturday, Aug. 26, at Pritchard Park. The
parade follows Patton Avenue to S. Market Street, turns down to The
Block, and culminates with the Community Showcase performance on the
mainstage at 1:00 p.m.
The Community
Showcase highlights the YMI Youth Jazz Band, the BiLo buggy, and other
exciting acts. For many years now children and adults alike have
thrilled to the graceful dance-like movement of stilt-walkers; some of
my favorite images of Goombay are of youngsters dancing between the
10-foot legs of these acrobatic stars.
Sunday begins
with a more sedate aspect of the festival, with an 11:00 a.m. worship
service on the mainstage led by Pastor Alphonso McGlen and the St.
James AME Church Mass Choir. The traditional Camp Meeting that follows
features gospel and church choirs from the local community.
Goombay has
always been run by volunteers under the auspices of the YMI Cultural
Center (see “Goombay! In the beginning…”, page 5). Festival coordinator
Connie Jefferson says that volunteers are still needed for the
GMAC/Ritz Restaurant volunteer area.
For those who
want to get out of the sun in the hottest hours of the day, the YMICC
will offer guided tours of its stunning art galleries during the
festival. The galleries feature contemporary visual artists, historical
exhibits, and the YMI’s fine Africa Collection of sculpture, masks,
weaponry, textiles, and other traditional arts and crafts of Africa.
Whichever day or
days of Goombay you attend, you’ll be in good company. The festival is
Asheville’s second largest, with an attendance of over 40,000 people.
Even if you don’t meet friends there, you’ll be bound to make new ones.
For more
information about Goombay activities or volunteering, contact Connie
Jefferson at the YMI Cultural Center at 828-252-4614 or [email protected],
or visit the web site at www.ymicc.org.
