by Shawn Nowlin
On September 18, thousands of Roanoke Valley residents attended the Henry Street Music Festival. Formerly known as the Henry Street Heritage Festival, event organizers decided to rebrand the annual gathering this year.
The festival, kicked off at 3:00 p.m. at Elmwood Park and lasted for approximately seven hours celebrating African American culture with crafts, merchandise, cuisines and of course, music.
“Most years this festival feels like a family reunion, but it truly felt like a homecoming after not being able to have the festival last year,” said event organizer Kianna Price Marshall on her television show Living Local.
Tickets were $20 for 13 and older, and free for those 12 and under. In large part because of the Delta variant, organizers encouraged attendees to wear a mask, and required the unvaccinated to mask up.
Anticipating a hot afternoon, many participants made sure to bring chairs and plenty of water bottles. The revenue generated from the festival will provide resources to support the ongoing programs and operations of the Harrison Museum of African American Culture.
Urban Luv, She’s International Boutique and DePaul Community Services were just some of the vendors spread out through Elmwood Park. Over the years, musicians like Ruben Studdard, Jagged Edge, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh and Jon B. have performed at the festival. The music lineup this year consisted of four local and regional bands: Touch of Class Band of Roanoke, Applebutter Soul from Lynchburg, Signature Sounds from Greensboro and Spectrum Band from High Point, NC. A theatrical tribute to historic Henry Street was also on the bill.
Ask five different attendees what they enjoy most about the festival and likely, five different responses will be given. “I love the variety of vendors the festival always has. Each year that I attend, I come across new entrepreneurs that I end up supporting,” James Paul said. “This year I purchased some lotions for my wife, a dress for my mother and some African garments for myself.”
Explained Havana Woods, “I love music just about as much as I love oxygen. Getting to experience different acts grace the stage over the years has been a real treat for me. Two of the bands this year I had never heard of until they performed. After their set, they made a new fan.”
What Bryan Carter loves most about the festival is that it provides an opportunity to catch up with friends and loved ones. “I’ve kept in touch with family and close friends during the pandemic, but there is nothing like seeing them in person,” he said. “We stayed the entire time and greatly enjoyed ourselves from start to finish.”
One didn’t have to be an African American to enjoy last Saturday’s festival. At an early age, Abigail Clarkson’s parents emphasized the importance of learning about different cultures and ethnicities.
“I am obviously white, but I’ve never felt uncomfortable or mistreated at the festival,” she said. “The exact opposite actually. I make sure that I ask questions when I don’t know something, and people are always more than accommodating. I would not have the life perspective that I do today without attending events like the Henry Street Music Festival every year.”
