FILM
Films at the Schomburg: Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am Tuesday, June 18th, 6:00PM Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture The Schomburg Center Literary Festival presents an advance screening of the documentary Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am. The film offers an artful and intimate meditation on the life and works of the acclaimed novelist. From her childhood in the steel town of Lorain, Ohio to ‘70s-era book tours with Muhammad Ali, from the front lines with Angela Davis to her own riverfront writing room, Toni Morrison leads an assembly of her peers, critics and colleagues on an exploration of race, America, history and the human condition as seen through the prism of her own literature. More info
42: the Jackie Robinson Story Celebrating the Jackie Robinson Centennial! Wednesday, July 10th, 8:00PM Jackie Robinson Park (Preceded by the HCCI Teen Filmmaker Training Program Short Film) In 1946, Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford), legendary manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, defies major league baseball’s notorious color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) to the team. The heroic act puts both Rickey and Robinson in the firing line of the public, the press and other players. (Co-presented with the Jackie Robinson Museum and the Historic Harlem Parks) More info
Nollywood In Harlem! God Calling Movie Screening & Talk Back Wednesday, July 10th, 5:00 – 9:00PM Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture Nollywood movie screening and talk back with cast discussing the movie and the impact of the blooming Nollywood movie industry to the World! “God Calling,” a phenomenal Nollywood movie that pushes your preception of faith based movies.The Director BB Sasore and Producer and lead actor Karibi Fubara did a fantastic job in telling a compelling story of trial and faith rooted in the dynamics of the Nigerian culture and family values.Nollywood without a doubt has amplified Nigeria’s ascendance as a global competitor across industries. The movie premiered in New York in March and will continue to show across USA through 2019. Visit www.godcallingmovie.com for showtime and tickets. More info
Grace Jones: Bami & Bloodlight | Black Girl Magic! Celebrating the Superflyness of Black Women & Girls Wednesday, July 31st, 6:00 – 10:00PM St. Nicholas Park Larger than life, wild, scary and androgynous – Grace Jones plays all these parts. The stage is where her most extreme embodiments are realized. The film includes performances of iconic hits such as Slave To The Rhythm, Pull Up to the Bumper and more. Film is preceded by live tribute performances and a fashion show featuring OKETSA by Thulare Monareng More info
Film TBA by Stanley Nelson Thursday, August 8th, 8:00PM Marcus Garvey Park – in association w/ Firelight Media. More info
If Beale Street Could Talk Saturday, August 17th, 6:00 – 11:00PM St. Nicholas Park This adaptation of the James Baldwin Novel, stars Academy Award winner Regina King, Coleman Domingo, Michael Beach, Teyonah Parris, Aunjanue Ellis and newcomer Kiki Layne. The film follows a pregnant woman in Harlem who desperately scrambles to prove her fiancé innocent of a crime he did not commit. More info
Soul Train Tribute to Aretha Franklin featuring Amazing Grace Thursday, August 22nd, 6:00 – 10:30PM Marcus Garvey Park Singer Aretha Franklin performs gospel songs at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles in 1972. Preceded by live musical tribute, and Harlem’s attempt to form a record-breaking Soul Train line. Co-presented by & InJoy Enterprises, the evening will feature Aretha Franklin hits and rare grooves spun by DJ King James NYC of RhythmAndSoulRadio.com & WHCR-FM, a concert featuring some of the music from the Queen of Soul interpreted by an all-star cast of independent artists including: Asa Lovechild, Lynn Lockamy, Nyasia Chane’l, Queen Zenobia, Rachel Walker, Red Sahara and Stori James backed by the Soul Train Tribute House band led by guitarist John Smith.“You can bet your last money, It’s gonna be a Stone Gas Honey.” More info
Decade of Fire Black Public Media 40th Anniversary Friday, August 23rd 8:00PM St. Nicholas Park In the 1970s, the Bronx was on fire. Left unprotected by the city government, nearly a half-million people were displaced as their close-knit, multiethnic neighborhood burned, reducing the community to rubble. While insidious government policies caused the devastation, Black and Latino residents bore the blame. In this story of hope and resistance, Bronx native Vivian Vazquez exposes the truth about the borough’s sordid history and reveals how her embattled and maligned community chose to resist, remain and rebuild. More info
Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse Kids Night Out in association with Harlem Week! Saturday, August 24th, 6:00 – 10:30PM St. Nicholas Park (135th St and St. Nicholas Ave) In this 2019 academy Award winner, Teen Miles Morales becomes Spider-Man of his reality, crossing his path with five counterparts from another dimensions to stop a threat for all realities. Proceeded by a back to school backpack giveaway, STEM games and more! More info
Daughters of the Dust and Four Women Black Public Media 40th Anniversary Friday, September 20th, 6:30 – 10:00PM St. Nicholas Park (135th St and St. Nicholas Ave) A critically acclaimed classic, Daughters of the Dust is a picturesque tale set in 1902, about a family in the Gullah community that suffers a generational split. Proceeded by the short film “Four Women”, based on the Nina Simone song. More info
When They See Us Friday, August 30th and Friday, September 6th, 6:00 – 9:00PM Harlem State Office Building Plaza Five teens from Harlem become trapped in a nightmare when they’re falsely accused of a brutal attack in Central Park. Based on the true story. More info
FESTIVALS
Harlem Week July 28th – August 24th What began in 1974 as a one-day tribute to Harlem has evolved over four decades into a month long celebration of the community’s rich economic, political and cultural history. Things kick off on July 28 with “A Great Day in Harlem” and reach a fever pitch during the bursting-at-the-seams weekend of events held under the banner of “Summer in the City” and “Harlem Day,” including an auto show, children’s festival, small-business expo, fashion show, educational fair, outdoor film screening and a dancing-in-the-St party. And on the final day of this celebration (August 24), there’s the Percy Sutton 5K Run. More info
Harlem Week – A Great Day in Harlem Sunday, July 28th, 12:00PM – 8:30PM U.S. Grant National Memorial Park; W 122nd & Riverside Dr With an expected attendance of 40,000+ “A Great Day in Harlem” is a day-long familyoriented event. Participants can enjoy an Outdoor Festival, Picnic, Fashion Show and Concerts, saluting Gospel, Dance, Theater, Latin, Rhythm & Blues and Jazz. There will also be arts & crafts, food from around the world, vendors, exhibitions, corporate exhibits, career recruitment and much more! More info
Summer in the City Saturday, August 17th, 12:00PM – 5:00PM 135th St There are many parts to “Summer in the City,” an all-day affair on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., on W. 135th St. between Malcolm X and Frederick Douglass Blvds. Highlights will include an International Vendors Village of clothing, arts and crafts and jewelry; the Senegalese Village, representing the African portion of Harlem’s immigrant flavor; and the Children’s Festival, featuring the Kalabante Circus, dance, sports clinics and free health screenings. More info
Percy Sutton 5K Saturday, August 24th, 8:30AM 136th St and Edgecombe Ave This 5K race honors the late Percy Sutton, who as Manhattan borough president in the 1970s championed the New York City Marathon as a five-borough event and remained a supporter of NYRR and running throughout his life; he passed away in 2009. The run celebrates historic Harlem and is part of HARLEM WEEK, one of the northeast area’s largest cultural celebrations. More info
GoAfrica Carnival Saturday, July 13th, 10:00AM – 6:00PM 216 W 116th St (Between Adam Clayton Powell Blvd and Frederick Douglass Blvd) The Carnival among other things be a celebration of the city’s African diversity with excellent displays of the unique goods and services provided by African & Caribbean merchants on 116th street and throughout the NYC metro area. There will be two (2) stages showcasing dance, art, music and dress from various regions throughout Africa and the Caribbean with direct participation from the African community & Cultural groups, consulates and embassies from the city’s five boroughs and NY Region. More info
116th Street Festival Saturday, June 8th 11:00AM – 5:00PM East 116th St The globally recognized and biggest Latin Festival in the North East will be returning on June 8th, 2019, for its 34th Celebration. The 116th Street Festival will host various music, fun, art, and food influenced by the Puerto Rican and Hispanic culture, with an added extra spark of excitement as the festival celebrates its 34th year celebration. The 116th Street Festival offers various performances, new and classic Hispanic foods, and a fun, electrified atmosphere that will be amplified by the added celebration of a third decade of the festival. Aside from musical performances, this year’s festival will honor multiple acts with a Talent Recognition Award for their continued support in the arts. More info
The Harlem Book Fair Saturday, July 20th Time:TBA W. 135th St & Malcolm X Blvd Bibliophiles and those who love them can get their literary life at the annual Harlem Book Festival, the largest African American book fair in the U.S. For one day in Saturday each year, 135th Street is lined with authors, exhibition booths, workshops, panel discussions, food, handmade crafts, and of course, books, and lots of them. Notable participating authors have included Maya Angelou, Cornel West, Sonia Sanchez, Amiri Baraka, Walter Mosley, Terry McMillan, Touré, Farai Chideya, Stanley Crouch, Nelson George, and Mark Anthony Neal. Free. More info
9th Annual Harlem Pride Celebration Day Saturday, June 29th 12:00PM – 6:00PM 12th Avenue (Between West 135th and W 138th St) Our Harlem Pride Celebration Day features live entertainment and community tables. This family-oriented festival serves as our greatest opportunity to bring the community together to celebrate our lives and our community! More Info
Shop Harlem Live: Harlem Artisanal Fair Saturday, June 22nd 11:00PM – 4:00PM St. Nicholas Ave (Between 117th St and 118th St) Shop Harlem Live Harlem is taking the streets in 2018! Explore the products and experiences that 50+ local artisans and small businesses have to offer at the outdoor Artisanal Fair! More info
MUSIC
The Bacchae Tuesday-Sunday, July 7th through 28th 8:30pm Marcus Garvey Park (18 Mt. Morris Park West), NYC Presented by the Classical Theatre of Harlem, the Bacchae tells the tale of a battle between Freedom, Ecstasy, Anarchy vs Law, Order, and Control…who wins? Rather, who survives by Euripides, A New Version by Brian Doerries, Directed by Carl Cofield, Choreographed by Tiffany Rea-Fisher More info
Harlem Opera Saturday, July 14th and 21st 7:00pm Marcus Garvey Park (18 Mt. Morris Park West), NYC Under Artistic Director, Gregory Hopkins, internationally acclaimed tenor, conductor, organist and pianist, Harlem Opera Theater performances include all types of musical offerings: opera, oratory concerts, recitals, Negro Spirituals and varied forms of American music, in keeping with our mission “to provide performance opportunities for professional and developing gifted artists within Harlem and communities where opera is seldom performed; and to cultivate and expand audience appreciation for opera and classical music through creative programming. More info
Jazzmobile at Marcus Garvey Park Friday, July 12th, 19th and August 2nd 7:00 – 8:30PM Marcus Garvey Park (18 Mt. Morris Park West) What better way to kick off the weekend than with live music? Every Friday, starting in July, you got plans. And they involve jazz, the outdoors and pretty people More info
The Young People’s Chorus of New York City Saturday, July 13th 7:00 – 8:00PM Marcus Garvey Park (18 Mt. Morris Park West) The Young People’s Chorus of New York City® (YPC) is a multicultural youth chorus internationally renowned not only for its superb virtuosity and brilliant showmanship, but as a model for an inclusive society that is being replicated globally. Founded in 1988 by Artistic Director Francisco J. Núñez a MacArthur Fellow and Musical America’s 2018 Educator of the Year, this groundbreaking program harnesses the power of music to fulfill the potential of every child and has established the youth chorus as a significant and often untapped instrument for making music. More info
Sundae Sermon Sunday, August 11th 1:00 – 6:00PM St. Nicholas Park (135th Street) Harlem’s most beloved dance party returns and promises to be a stone cold groove as legendary DJ Stormin Norman spins classic hip-hop, soul, Afrobeat and house. Revel in the sun with Harlem’s most beautiful, who spill into the park after church, brunch or sleeping in ready to mix, mingle and move. If your hands are not in the air at least once during the day, you may want to get your soul checked. Family-friendly. More info
Omar / Nakhane / DJ Wildcat Wednesday, August 14th 7:00 – 9:00PM Marcus Garvey Park (18 Mt. Morris Park West) British soul singer Omar Lye-Fook was likely always destined to be a musician. The son of Byron Lye-Fook, a studio musician and drummer who worked with the likes of Bob Marley and the Rolling Stones, Omar was classically trained at London’s Guildhall School of Music, and plays the trumpet, piano and percussion. Considered by some to be the ‘father’ of British neo soul, his throwback sound appeared to be ahead of its time, proving to be more influential in the canon than on the charts. More info
Black Woodstock 50th Anniversary: Igmar Thomas / Talib Kweli / Keyon / Harrold & Special Guests Saturday, August 17th 6:00 – 9:00PM Marcus Garvey Park (18 Mt. Morris Park West) As a kickoff to the national Future Sounds tour highlighting communities across the country, this concert celebrates the 50th year anniversary of the Harlem Cultural Festival. Taking place in the summer of 1969, the original festival held a series of concerts in Mount Morris Park (now known as Marcus Garvey Park), to celebrate black pride, empowerment, music, and culture, and featured the likes of Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, B.B. King, Sly & the Family Stone, Jesse Jackson, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, and others. This concert will feature a number of surprise special guests. This SummerStage performance is presented in partnership with Future Sounds. For more information, please visit www.futurexsounds.com More info
THE Wailers’ Julian Junior Marvin / DJ Queen Majesty Sunday, August 18th 6:00 – 9:00PM Marcus Garvey Park (18 Mt. Morris Park West) Though the Wailers were first formed as a ska vocal group in 1963, they’re best known as the backing band of reggae legend Bob Marley. And it was that iteration that Julian Junior Marvin was asked to join in 1974 after the departure of founding members Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. His first recording with Bob Marley and the Wailers, Exodus, is widely considered one of the greatest albums of all time—in any genre. Since Marley’s death in 1981, Marvin has cut four records with the group, and toured with various iterations of the band’s lineup. Marvin fronts this current lineup, playing and singing the Bob Marley & The Wailers hits the way he believes Marley intended them to be heard. He’s joined by DJ Queen Majesty, an NYC reggae selector with her own hot sauce empire. This concert was produced in association with DoNYC. More info
Harlem 100: Mwenso and The Shakes / Brianna Thomas / Vuyo Sotashe / Special Guest Fred Wesley / Jazzmobile Presents: Winard Harper & Jeli Posse Friday, August 23rd 7:00 – 9:00PM Marcus Garvey Park (18 Mt. Morris Park West) Harlem 100 is a multi-media show, created in collaboration with The National Jazz Museum in Harlem, celebrating the landmark 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance. The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival celebration features an all-star cast of modern jazz musicians, including Mwenso and the Shakes, a multicultural New York jazz group laced with minimal irony and maximum fun led by the Sierra Leone-born Mwenso Brianna Thomas, a jazz vocalist with massive range who sings ballad standards, cabaret, Scat, and the blues, specializing in the 30s-style swing music; Vuyo Sotashe, an ascendant young South African jazz vocalist making a name for himself in the New York jazz scene and the very special guest Fred Wesley; the super-project celebration is supported by Winard Harper & his group Jeli Posse, presented by Jazzmobile, who play jazz standards and original works rooted in Caribbean rhythms and the traditions of Africa. More info
Dee Dee Bridgewater / Ravi Coltrane / Quiana Lynell / Reclamation: Camille Thurman, Nikara Warren and Brandee Younger Saturday, August 24 3:00 – 7:00PM Marcus Garvey Park (18 Mt. Morris Park West) Jazz scion Ravi Coltrane, the son of jazz pianist Alice Coltrane and saxophonist John Coltrane, finds himself sandwiched by a cadre of powerful and talented women on this jazz-centric bill headlined by the three-time Grammy Award-winning songwriter and jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater. Bridgewater, produced in association with Jill Newman Productions, who also happens to be a Tony Award-winning stage actress and was the host of NPR’s syndicated radio show JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater for 23 years, is joined by Quiana Lynell, the winner of the 2017 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition and who trumpeter/composer Terence Blanchard has called a “unique talent” in possession of “the maturity of a well-seasoned vocalist while having a forwardthinking approach to creativity”. They are joined by “Reclamation” a piece honoring Charlie Parker, commissioned in association with The Joyce and George Wein Foundation and The Jazz Gallery, featuring Queens native Camille Thurman. More info
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