By Okon Ekpenyong

During the two-day Fourth Annual Columbus African Festival held on July 28 and July 29, 2023, at the Genoa Park in Downtown Columbus, Ohio, attendees were treated to various activities, including live music, art exhibits, traditional dances and performances, and a marketplace featuring traditional African crafts, clothing, and food.

The festival also featured a children’s activity area, traditional storytellers, and a soccer tournament to honor the culture of African nations. It’s no wonder the event was such a huge success, and the organizers are looking forward to the 2024 festival.

Innis Park was the original location of the Columbus African Festival. Franklin Park then became the new location for the festival, but the organizers moved it to the Scioto miles to accommodate the traffic. “Next year, the festival will be on July 27th & 28th”, said Columbus African Festival Chairperson Bart Shepkong.

The Scioto Miles area was an ideal location for the festival, providing visitors with stunning views of the Scioto River and ample space to explore the area’s attractions. Genoa Park is a popular public park along the Scioto Mile. It is situated in the neighborhood of the Columbus Art Museum and COSI and is famous for its views of the city skyline.

So, while the African music was blazing, guests could enjoy seeing the park’s fountain, walking paths, and playground. Scioto Mile is a series of parks and pathways that extend along the Scioto River in Columbus, Ohio. The area is filled with sculptures, parks, gardens, and fountains and is a popular destination for visitors and locals alike.

Joanne Shepkong and Bart Shepkong, another festival organizer, plan to continue to work with other African ethnic groups to grow the festival, including Ghanaians, Moroccans, Somalians, and many more. Usually, each ethnic group celebrates its Independence Day by incorporating it as a festival, attracting thousands of attendees throughout the area.

Also, the festival was a chance for West African food vendors to show who truly has the best Jollof rice, whether the Senegalese, Nigerians, Ghanaians, or Cameroonians. The festival sponsor, Fork in Nigeria Food Truck, did bring their game as usual. EFS Kitchen, a catering food vendor, said they sold out of everything early on Saturday. It was a great weekend for those food vendors and allowed the city to learn about authentic African dishes that are out there.

Clementine Bihiga, an author, and motivational speaker from Rwanda, organized the fashion show this year, bringing together several Central Ohio African designers. Ma Rayzer and his crew performed at the Columbus African Festiv and Bihiga thanked the band for their performance.

In addition to highlighting and understanding African culture, values, and traditions, the festival offered educational and artistic programming based on its culture and art forms to Central Ohio residents at large, said Columbus City Councilmember Emmanuel V Remy.

Central Ohio has a large African population, specifically Columbus, so seeing different African nationalities under one roof shows a deeper connection between the groups. “If we thirst for understanding, we’ll find that similarity,” said one of the festival organizers.

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