Brooklyn Children’s Museum will present a five-day Kwanzaa festival from Dec. 26 to 30, running daily from 10:00am to 5:00pm. The annual celebration, now in its 18th year, will engage children of all ages with hands-on, joyful activities honoring the seven principles of Kwanzaa, including unity, creativity, collective work, responsibility and purpose.
The festival is presented in partnership with Asase Yaa Cultural Arts Foundation, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit dedicated to educating and uplifting communities through African arts.
Throughout the week, visitors can take part in interactive workshops and performances, including Afrobeat, Dancehall and Soca dance workshops, a Djembe drumming workshop, stilt walker and youth dance performances, herbal sensory exploration with Brooklyn Supported Agriculture Community, traditional candle lighting ceremonies and Kwanzaa sing-alongs.
“For 18 years, our Celebrate Kwanzaa festival has been a powerful celebration of community, culture, and the African diaspora, right here in the heart of Brooklyn. BCM takes great pride in this being one of the longest running and largest celebrations of Kwanzaa across NYC,” said Atiba T. Edwards, president and chief executive officer of the Brooklyn Children’s Museum.
Kwanzaa is a secular holiday that celebrates African and African American heritage, culture, and ancestry. Observances include daily candle lighting, family and communal gatherings, traditional feasts and the sharing of music, poetry, and stories that reflect the seven principles.
Kofi Osei Williams, the executive director of Asase Yaa Cultural Arts Foundation, said the festival is an opportunity to share the Kwanzaa tradition with new generations and remind families that the principles of Kwanzaa are "not just seasonal, but a way of life.”
“Kwanzaa is a powerful reminder of who we are and what we owe to one another,” said New York City Council Member Rita Joseph. “Rooted in the Nguzo Saba unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith; it calls us to honor our shared history, uplift our culture, and recommit ourselves to building strong, thriving communities for our children and future generations.”
Visitors can participate in all Kwanzaa activities with a general admissions ticket to BCM.
