I attended Silver Spring, MD’s Tastes of Africa, a festival that celebrated African culture through music, food, dance and the arts. I arrived an hour before it officially ended so I probably missed most of the fun. However, there were a few highlights that did make my attendance worthwhile.

As I walked around, I sensed a great amount of pride and enthusiasm that this celebration was taking place.  There were many individuals dressed in colorful African attire who were socializing with friends and family. I also found unique pieces of jewelry and clothing made by African artisans, including my purchase of a beautiful beaded bracelet made in Kenya. There were demonstrations on how to wrap African cloth into skirts and dresses and nonprofit organizations discussing health and education in Africa.

But I must admit that I wished the organizer did a better job. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, there were only three food vendors: one American, one Jamaican and one African. Also, the act on stage was a horrible hip-hop group with a very bad lead singer, not a candidate for The Voice or American Idol.

Once again, I did arrive late so I am positive that there were great performances and wonderful food sampling earlier in the day.  While this was not the best festival I’ve ever attended, I appreciate the fact that Silver Spring offered a venue for the community to enjoy African culture so close to home. I do wish this event would continue in future years but with some improvements.