Colorado Black Arts Festival proudly presents its 31st annual celebration of art and culture of the African diaspora. A Colorado experience like no other takes place July 7 – 9, 2017 in historic Denver City Park West. This event is FREE and open to the public
Festival Hours:
Friday, July 7, 2017 – 12:00am – 8:00pm
Saturday, July 8, 2015 – 10:00am – 8:00pm
Sunday, July 9, 2015 – 10:00am – 8:00pm
● Parking is available in the park and in the blocks surrounding the West end of City Park with the three main gates at 17th and City Park Esplanade, 21st and York, and next to the Martin Luther King, Jr. monument. Please observe all City of Denver rules and regulations regarding vehicle parking. Be kind to the neighborhood residents and not block driveways or alleyways. Vehicles are not allowed to double park, park in restricted/reserved areas or curbs with yellow paint. Vehicles not following these rules will be subject to tow.
● Handicap parking will be limited inside the park and only cars with handicap license plates and placards will be allowed in designated handicap parking areas.
● Public transportation is encouraged as we are a green festival. There will be bike racks provided close to the Martin Luther King Jr. Monument gate. There is B-cycle bikes for patrons to rent at the Museum of Nature & Scienc
● Banking – ATM’s will be located on festival grounds for your convenience.
● Pets – Please be kind to your pets and leave them at home when you visit the Colorado Black Arts Festival. ONLY service dogs are allowed as long as they have identification as a helper. Pets will not be allowed due to the heat, large crowds, and noise levels. Also, for the safety of your pet and festival patrons.
● Sanitation – Portable toilets will be available near the 17th Ave and MLK gates.
● First Aid – First Aide will be located West of the Kuumba Main Stage in the Health Highway Pavilion.
● CBAF information booth will be located next to the 17th Ave entrance. This is also the starting point for the scavenger hunt. Pick up your form and let the hunt begin – you may win a prize!
Festival Rules
● No glass bottles or containers are allowed in the park.
● No distribution or selling of items is allowed on festival grounds by anyone other than registered vendors/sponsors.
● No coolers are allowed to be brought into the event. Support food vendors and CBAF beverage stations.
● No smoking is allowed inside the tents or in any seating area on the festival grounds.
● No riding of bicycles, skateboards or use of roller blades on festival grounds for the safety of festival patrons.
● All packages are subject to search.
● No photos or video of artwork without attendant’s permission.
Beverages in glass or bottles are not allowed in the park. Please patronize CBAF beverage stations. All sales help support your community event and non-profit vending partners.
Alcoholic beverages are not allowed to be brought into the festival and beer bought at the festival is NOT allowed to be taken out the gates. Denver Police will strictly enforce this policy.
The Colorado Black Arts Festival reserves the right to decline admittance to anyone who violates the rules established for public safety.
Lost children and lost and found will be located at the information booth. If you have a lost child(ren), ask any CBAF volunteer, staff or Denver Police Officer for assistance.
https://www.colbaf.org/festival.html
Colorado Black Arts Festival offices:
2202 Downing Street, Denver, CO 80205, USA
1-303-306-8672
Mission and Objectives
The mission of the Colorado Black Arts Festival is to seek to involve the total community in helping to establish self-reliance, believing that pride in one’s culture is the foundation for long- term stability and prosperity. The Colorado Black Arts Festival strives to develop, promote and celebrate African arts and culture in Colorado.
The Denver Black Arts Festival (DBAF) had its humble beginnings in 1986 when a small contingent of artist and art lovers lead by the Ayers brothers (Oye and Perry) felt the lack of opportunities for African American visual and performing artists in the Denver Metro area was detrimental to the survival of the artists who were compelled to do art. They felt this lack of opportunity for the artist denied the African American community the education, ideas, movement, words, voices, beauty, colors, dimensions and contradictions of creativity that the arts engender, and that contribute to pride and self-esteem.
The first festival took place in August 1987. It rained the full two days of the festival when a small audience of determinedly fixed believers refused to go home. The next year the Festival was moved to July not to be vulnerable to Colorado’s August monsoons. In 1988, the second annual festival drew an audience of well over 30,000. By 1990, attendance reached over 60,000. In 2009, the DBAF changed its name to Colorado Black Arts Festival, an appropriate name in light of the state-wide reach of the event. Since its inception, the African diaspora art and cultural celebration has been a consistent July event for the community. In 2011, the Colorado Black Arts Festival celebrated its 25th year Anniversary. The Colorado Black Arts Festival has attracted patrons and artists from around the world and has become Colorado’s premiere celebration of African-American arts and culture. The Festival has received many awards for its outstanding Festival presentation including the Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts.
[Thanks to Terry Minggia, http://www.minggiaentertainment.com for contributing this article.]# # #
Innervision will have at the festival to pass guest from its Innervision FM radio show on KOMF 104.7FM Wed/Fri 8:00am to 8:30am and Sunday show on KUHSDenver.com 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Gospel stage at 2:00 p.m. – Mr. Dean, and at 2:10 p.m. – Soldiers for Christ.
Innervision FM will be raffling gift cards that you can donate either $2.00, or $5.00 on our web site.
Listen the following Sunday on my radio show for the prize winners!