Choreographer, Dancer T.M. Pride will showcase dancing skills at Heritage Fest at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, Feb. 8. (Photo by Alex Markow)
In honor of Black History Month, the Adrienne Arsht Center in downtown Miami honors Black culture its sixth annual Heritage Fest celebration taking place on Saturday, Feb. 8 outdoors from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Thompson Plaza for the Arts.
According to Zaylin Yates, Manager of Community Engagement at Arsht Center, there will be a range of activities for families and people of all ages.
Singer Stout will headline the sixth annual Heritage Fest at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, Feb. 8. (Photo courtesy of artist management)
"We are having a vast array of events ranging from artwork, dance, music, storytelling that not only inspires all of us to honor and respect the great Black artists in our community, but also to celebrate by having everyone participate in eating, dancing and singing,” says Yates, who has organized Heritage Fest for the past four years.
"What is so joyous and special is that this is a festival for everyone. Miami is a multicultural city and we will see many cultural groups from Miami joining together to celebrate Heritage Fest."
Headlining this year’s Heritage Fest will be jazz, gospel and soul singer Stout, who will be showcasing songs in a concert from 5:15 to 6 p.m. as the closing event of Heritage Fest.
Stout will be singing accompanied with a band of four musicians showcasing both her original songs as well as songs from well-known singers, such as “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor and “A Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin.
"What is so exciting for me is that I will be interacting with the audience informally because I am performing outdoors. I anticipate that lots of people will want to get up and dance and maybe even sing along. Given the large crowd of people expected, the atmosphere of the concert will be joyous, “ says Stout the veteran performer who has been performing for over 20 years.
Author Michael Woodward will read from his two children's books at Heritage Fest at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, Feb. 8. (Photo by Alex Markow from the 2023 Heritage Fest)
Local author Michael Woodward, Ph.D., well-known for his children’s books, will be reading from his two critically acclaimed novels released this year “The Mighty Monarch Butterfly” from 3:30 to 4 p.m. and “Young Queen” from 4:30 to 5 p.m.
Woodward is a former elementary school teacher who created many fictional Black heroes and heroines in his books. “The Mighty Monarch Butterfly” chronicles the journey of a young butterfly in search of her family and “Young Queen” showcases lessons for young Black girls as they mature into women.
Choreographer T.M. Pride, director of dance at Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, will be showcasing dancing skills in a workshop from 4:45 to 5:15 p.m.
San Juan USA will showcase a drumming workshop at Heritage Fest at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, Feb. 8. (Photo by Alex Markow from Heritage Fest)
Dancer Shanna Woods, an artist- in- residence at Pompano Beach Arts, will showcase the art of dancing in Afro-Haitian, ballet, salsa, tap, among other styles in her class from 4 to 4:30 pm.
Percussionists San Juan USA will display their skills in Afro-Venezuelan drumming in a workshop from 3:15 to 3:45 p.m.
Miami artist TeePop, known for her many murals showcasing the history of the Miami Heat basketball team as well as her murals of hockey’s Florida Panthers “Pride” jerseys (in honor of Pride Month) will be showcasing her many murals and portraits from 3 to 5 p.m. and will share a live art experience from 5 to 5:30 p.m.
Students from Florida Memorial University fraternities Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma will be featured in a step performance from 3:05 to 3:20 p.m.
More than 30 food vendors representing Black owned businesses will be on hand throughout the afternoon. For the kids, there will balloon making and face painting.
Admission is free, although reservations are not required, RSVPs are requested at the Arsht Center website.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: The sixth annual Heritage Fest celebrating Black culture featuring art, dance, drumming, food vendors, singing, story-telling and other cultural arts..
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 8 from 3 to 6 p.m.
WHERE: Thomson Plaza for the Arts at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami.
TICKETS: Free admission but reservations are requested at arshtcenter.org
INFO: (305) 949-6722
