Apalachicola Celebrates African-American History this Weekend

The City of Apalachicola will celebrate the 12th Annual African-American History Festival with a jam packed schedule of events and activities throughout this weekend beginning Friday, February 20.

The festival sponsored by the Hillside Coalition of Laborers for Apalachicola, Inc. (H’COLA), will kick-off with a Western Theme party at 9:00 p.m. Friday inside the Franklin Square Recreation Center on 6th Street.   

On Saturday things will pump up with a parade at 10:00 a.m. led by Grand Marshall Granville Croom, followed by a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to officially open the festival, including welcome remarks from Apalachicola Mayor Van Johnson, a prayer blessing the event by Covenant Word Christian Center Pastor David Walker, and the singing of the Negro National Anthem by local Gospel recording artist Maxine Kellogg. Vendors will be set up and ready to sell everything from seafood to soul food, along with arts and craft and activities for the kids.

There will be an hour of live entertainment featuring local talent starting at 11:30 a.m. with crooner Kenny Turner singing crown pleasing R&B tunes, followed by rapper Courtney Bell aka C-BELL, a dance skit by Destiny Perkins and more R&B tunes from songstress Angel Stephens.  A step routine to be performed by the Boys & Girls Step Team out of Tallahassee will also be in the mix.

Taking the stage at 1:30 p.m. will be P&W Trio from Albany, GA, a crowd favorite from a few festivals back led by two blind men that know how to throw down some down home blues and old school.  Another festival favorite, the ethnic fashion show will kick-off at 2:45 p.m., followed by a Dance Kraze by “All Charmed Up” out of Port St. Joe.

More live entertainment will hit the stage beginning at 5:00 p.m. with Eric Sharper & Company out of Valdosta, GA, featuring individual performances by Kelsie Davis, The Sharper Boys, and Saxophonist Isaac Pryce.

DJ Beanie Boy with close out the night spinning an hour of jams starting at 7:00 p.m., with the gates officially closing at 8:00 p.m.

The festival will conclude and close at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday after an uplifting outdoor worship service led by Dr. Roderick L. Robinson, Jr., at Noon.

For more information about the 12th Annual African-American History Festival or to obtain a printable copy of Saturday’s schedule of events, visit www.hcola.org.