On July 18, the city’s largest celebration of African food and culture returns to Sawyer Point Park.
AfriFest is hosted every year by the African Professionals Network (APNET), a non-profit organization formed in 2010 to bring members of the African diaspora in Cincinnati together. Prince Ellis, the organization’s co-founder and president, started the event in 2017.
“We realized there are different groups from African countries all over the city, but they were very highly fragmented. And so we thought, ‘how can we bring these groups together?'” he said. “It started as a picnic where we provided free food and invited all these different communities to join us. Eventually, it got so big that we had to move to Burnet Woods and start asking food vendors to come. Now, it’s gotten to the point where we take up all of Sawyer Point.”
That’s no exaggeration, either: last year’s event sported 10,000 guests, and this year will likely have even more. More than 20 food vendors will be on hand serving up African and Caribbean favorites, while more than 80 other vendors will participate in a vibrant outdoor marketplace that features various cultural items for sale. And, of course, there will be live music and performances throughout the day—like afrobeats, drumming and traditional dance performances.
“It’s not just food. It’s entertainment, dance, music, art and culture all in one space … So, anybody who wants to experience what the continent is like without traveling overseas can experience a sense of what African culture and spirit is, while staying right here in the city.”
While the festival only takes place across one day, APNET celebrates throughout the entire week leading up to the event. There’s an Afro-Caribbean Day and AfriFest kickoff party at Revel OTR on the Sunday prior, several history-focused events on the weekdays, a networking event for young professionals and plenty more. The full list can be seen on APNET’s website.
In addition to the money they raise from their non-profit status to support the festival, APNET also provides funding and support to smaller vendors, making the festival both a cultural celebration and an economic development platform. Ellis estimates that AfriFest has a $250,000 economic impact on the city each year.
“It’s a way for us to support small business and showcase local entrepreneurs, you know? Sometimes it’s hard for them to afford going to these sorts of festivals. We try to, you know, train them to think, ‘how do you grow your business and how can you achieve it?’ We want to help them expand their business and sustain it long term,” Ellis said.
For prospective attendees, Ellis recommends they “come hungry and get ready to dance.”
“It’s not an African festival without dancing, obviously. And we’ll have so many options, whether it’s food, vendors, music,” he said. “I recommend coming early, because the earlier you come, the more experiences you’ll be able to have before everything sells out.”
But the most important aspect of the event, to Ellis, is community building for people of African descent in Cincinnati.
“This is a big event where we all have different cultures and come together to celebrate them. Yes, it’s not just Africans who attend these events, but it creates a place for our African community here in the city. I think some of us feel very lonely sometimes, and this event really makes them feel like they’re at home and gives them a sense of belonging,” he said. “Really, it’s a way for us to bring them all together and make an impact on the city as one big world, and one big voice.”
For more information on AfriFest, visit APNET’s official website.
