WHAT:
Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM, Inc.) in partnership with Santa Monica Black Lives Association is hosting Celebration & Solidarity: Black History Month Festival on Saturday, February 25 from 4 -10 p.m. on the Third Street Promenade. The festival features live musical performances by rapper Krayzie Bone of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, comedy rock band Big Daddy, Gospel artist Betty Griffin, R&B artists Darrell Wilson and Frederick Buzz Busby, and DJ Shun Griffin among others, plus local performance groups of African drummers, cultural musicians and an African American dance troupe.
Attendees will have the opportunity to visit various educational exhibits that highlight the contributions of African Americans in science and technology and attend a celebrity panel discussion featuring Mayor Pro Tem Lana Negrete, former Los Angeles Laker Norm Nixon, rapper Krayzie Bones and others, that explores the impact of African Americans in the entertainment industry. Local vendors will offer a variety of African American-made products for purchase throughout the evening and local restaurants will feature special menu items honoring Black History Month available for purchase.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
4:30 p.m. - Opening ceremony and welcome speeches by event organizer, Jane Smith and Mayor Gleam Davis
5 p.m. - Live music performance by local R&B and Soul band
5:30 p.m. - Educational exhibit on the contributions of African Americans in science and technology
6 p.m. - Celebrity panel discussion on the impact of African Americans in the entertainment industry
6:30 p.m. - Dance performance by a local African American dance troupe
7 p.m. - Live performance by "Big Daddy"
7:30 p.m. - Live performance by "Cruiser"
8 p.m. - Live performance by "Ronnie"
8:30 p.m. - Live performance by "Krayzie Bone" of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
9 p.m. - Closing ceremony with remarks by event organizer, Kera Blade-Snell
9:15 p.m. - DJ Music
WHEN:
Saturday, February 25 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
WHERE:
Third Street Promenade between Broadway and Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90401
ADMISSION :
Admission is free to the public; all ages are welcome.
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About Santa Monica Black Lives Association (SMBLA)
The Santa Monica Black Lives Association serves as a change agent to promote equity and inclusion within all facets of Santa Monica public life. Services include but are not limited to community education, mentoring, programming and non-political advocacy to address implicit bias and raise the consciousness of the general Santa Monica community regarding the impact of historic and systemic racism and social injustice on the Black community. For more information, please visit SMBLA.org or follow us on Instagram at @SMBlackLivesAssociation and Facebook at @ SantaMonicaBlackLivesAssociati on.
About Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM, Inc.)
Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. is a private non-profit 501c(3) that works with the City of Santa Monica to manage services and operations in Downtown Santa Monica that promote economic stability, growth and community life within Downtown Santa Monica. DTSM, Inc. manages the Property-based Business Assessment District (PBAD) that encompasses the area bounded by Ocean Avenue (W), Wilshire Boulevard (N), Lincoln Boulevard (E) and the Santa Monica Freeway (S). For more info, please visit DowntownSM.com or follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook at @DTSantaMonica, as well as TikTok at @DowntownSantaMonica.