African Festival of the Arts

For two decades, the African Festival of the Arts has taken place at Washington Park (51st St and Cottage Grove Ave)—now the proposed terrain for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. If Chicago secures the bid in October, this might be the best time to experience the park before the forklifts come. Here are four reasons:

Funk yard
There’s a perennial early-afternoon rush to set up lawn chairs for the main-stage performances. Swing by early for a good sight line to this year’s stellar lineup, which includes legendary funk act the Ohio Players (Fri 4) and funk god George Clinton (Mon 7). Clinton’s hit “Aqua Boogie” takes on new meaning as festivalgoers party on the spot that might hold swimming events for the 2016 Games.

Beat it
Master Drummers (a rare West African title) Olu Shakoor and Baba Tyehimba Mtu stir up excitement with daily drumming. Participate in a drum session, or bring in that old bongo and the drumming masters will give it a customized reskinning.

Bean around the world
Food vendors selling Senegalese Wolof rice (try Yassa Kitchen) and Caribbean chicken and fish (sample West Indies Bakery’s escovitch red snapper) draw the longest lines, so queue up at the first stomach growl. Cajun and soul food—this year’s additions—offer a different take on some similar African dishes. A meal is a steal at around $10.

It takes a village
Festival grounds are constructed to resemble an African village (think rows of pavilions with names such as Bank of the Nile Food Court) spiraling out of the town center, i.e. the concert area. Highlights of the fine-arts and crafts pavilions include Nigerian-born Dayo Laoye’s paintings and fiber work by local quilter Reneau Diallo; each creates work exploring African heritage. Like them, Washington Park could soon make its own history.

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