On July 20, rhythmic beats from African instruments reverberated across Central Park’s northern portion, while a tantalizing aroma of spices from a myriad of African cuisines filled the air around West 116th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues, making for a sensory experience for hundreds of eager participants. The nucleus: Go Africa Carnival, now in its sixth year of vibrant cultural festivity in Harlem.
The event’s annual goal is connecting patrons and passersby with dozens of owners of pop-up shops and local businesses. From symbolic iron patches and Black-owned animated stickers to African crystal beads and herbal tonics, the carnival showcased a variety of creative companies looking for a much-needed outlet. Additionally, emerging musical artists rotated between three different stages, attracting diverse crowds of impressed listeners soaking in the collective joy in the vicinity.
Arye Harmony was one of the many artists given this opportunity. Talking to an audience on one of the most significant stages she’s been on in her early career, she took the opportunity to debut some of her newest songs.
“The Go Africa Harlem Festival opened other festivals and event doors for me. Also, like others, it pulls me in the creativity and culture of what it represents,” Harmony told the AmNews.
Repeat vendors who have attended the Go Africa Carnival for years now report an uptick in sales after every event. Face, the owner of the clothing brand Vesta Klozet, looks forward to the event every year, as it is the best time to promote his “custom upcycled one-of-a-kind pieces that highlight independent creativity.”
“Participating in the Go Africa Carnival has given us valuable visibility among our target audience, significantly boosting brand awareness and business,” Face said.
Dr. Dennie Beach, president of the Go Africa Network Inc., spearheaded this event and was particularly interested in establishing a symbiotic relationship between all sellers and his nonprofit organization. In exchange for a fixed rate, vendors could rent tents, tables, chairs, and more, including stage time and shoutouts periodically throughout the event.
“We want to make sure that we work with the merchants and vendors so they can make money and have licenses from the event so they can go to any street festival,” Beach said.
The 2024 Go Africa Carnival also pointed to its resurgence in activity after a year’s hiatus due to unforeseen circumstances. The idea for such a celebration originated in 2014 when 15 accomplished college graduates rooted in African lineage sought to uplift African culture around New York City.
Although the first iteration of the event was relatively small, only taking up half of a street, the team of all African men strung together three more annual events, renaming it the Go Africa Carnival by 2018. The event grew in size and popularity, making Go Africa an increasingly anticipated event in Harlem during the summer. However, after COVID-19 put an indefinite pause on all outdoor life around the city, Go Africa, like all other outdoor festivals, was forced to stunt its progress while the world recovered. By 2022, the Go Africa Carnival could return for another rendition before taking a year’s break. This year, however, brought forth the most anticipated event in Go Africa’s early career.
Dr. Samuel Jones, the chief medical officer at Go Africa Health, estimates that over 10,000 people from around the United States came to check out the carnival, which is desirable for tourists and locals alike. He emphasizes the importance of being inclusive in how the festival is advertised in conjunction with being an Afrocentric activity, as it’s the culmination of all interested consumers.
“We have people coming down from D.C., Philadelphia, and Houston wanting to participate in the event. Our beginnings were all about the African diaspora, but it has taken on an identity as an event for everyone,” Jones said.
