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Positively Dover: The African American Festival Celebrates 19 Years

By Lisa Berrien 6/21/09

For 19 years, the African Festival in Dover, DE, has been attracting spectators and vendors all over the tri-state and beyond. It’s held by the Inner City Cultural League (ICCL), and each year it is held on the Fourth Saturday in June (June 27), on The Green of the Capitol Complex in Downtown Dover. Also known as “Positively Dover”, the African Festival was spawned by a conversation between The Honorable Donald Blakey, Delaware State Legislative Representative from the 34th District and Reuben Salters, Councilman 4th District, City of Dover. When speaking with Mr. Salters he said, “originally this was set out for kids who had no activities, and has grown into a public program of arts and entertainment.”

Some of the festivities this event has offered in the past are performances from headliners such as The Coasters and The Drifters. This year there will be lots of history on the stage, various story tellers, featured dance groups such as Sankofa which is Mr. Salters dance and drum group. They offer authentic African dancing and drumming with approximately 30 children involved ranging from 8-18 yrs of age.

The festival will also feature the Trinidad and Tobago Steel Drum Band out of Baltimore, a children’s arts group, acts from Senegal, and a grand procession at the beginning. The festival is Saturday, June, 27, 2009 and begins at 10am and ends at 8pm. There will be over 150 vendors of the most authentic African goods, food, and much more. This event has been known to draw in an excess of 22,000 people, the culture and the experience is one that no one person has been able to turn down within miles of Dover, and this year is expected to be no different.

The ICCL is trying to raise money for the building of the new Cultural Center, and donations are accepted. The opportunity to give will be announced at various times during this festive event. This new Cultural Center will hopefully expand what has already been a 19 year tradition. To find out how you can contribute and to get more information on the African Festival, check http://icclarts.org for more information.

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