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Article courtesy of The L.A. Watts Times.
For more stories, visit L.A. Watts Times online.
By Chico C. Norwood, Staff Writer --
The “grandfather of all African American cultural festivals in the United States” will get underway this weekend.
The Watts Summer Festival will kick off at noon Aug. 8 on 103rd Street, between Compton Boulevard and Success Avenue, in the heart of Watts. It continues through Aug. 9 until 8 p.m.
Opening ceremonies will take place at noon on the main stage with elected officials, community leaders, and an opening performance by the local group Sadaa.
Charles Wright of the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band is this year’s celebrity spokesperson. The band put Watts on the map in a positive way in the late 1960s and ’70s when it became the first R&B band signed by Warner Bros. Records and produced nine singles that made it onto the Billboard’s Top 100 list.
Wright and the group are best known for their 1970s’ hit “Express Yourself,” which reached No. three on the Billboard R&B charts and No. 12 on the Pop charts.
Joining Wright in the spotlight this year are Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA, 35th District), who is serving as the honorary chair, and honorary hosts Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and L.A. City Councilmember Janice Hahn.
The two-day event will include community forums, a food court, live music and more.
Celebrating its 43rd year, the festival was spawned after the 1965 Watts Rebellion with a mission to celebrate “the cultural contributions of African Americans, preserve the history and legacy of the Watts community and to memorialize the thirty four that died during the 1965 Watts Revolt,” according to the festival’s Web site.
Executive Director Tommy Jacquette says the festival has endured because of the reasons it was founded, which is embedded in the minds of the people.
“The festival connects the community and focuses on the best of Watts, its residents, and those that have emerged from Watts and yet never forgot their roots,” Jacquette said.
While a sagging economy has caused other community events and festivals to be cancelled or suspended, the festival has somehow found way to continue.
“We have always existed on a beans, rice and cornbread budget,” Jacquette said. “And, because it is a community event, the community has always been involved. Our large volunteer base is involved in everything from performances to the working aspect. We are especially grateful for our loyal sponsors who get involved and believe in the festival.”
According to Brenda Giles, assistant to Jacquette, about 3,000 people are expected over the two-day period.
“It’s going to be a very good event. I think it’s going to be one of the very best ever,” she said. “We’ve got a lot of good, local, yet-to-be-discovered talent from the community. You’d be happy to bring your family.”
The festival and parking is free to the public. For more information, call (323) 789-7304.
Information from www.wattsfestival.org.
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