Major Takeaways

• The African American Cultural Fair returns to Reservoir Park with a five-day carnival, cultural events, live entertainment, and community activities.
• A new local Black art exhibition featuring nine artists adds a fresh cultural element to this year’s celebration.
• Despite the parade cancellation due to construction and sponsorship challenges, organizers expanded programming with dance battles, drum lines, and performances.

Five days of music, art, food, and unity bring Lancaster’s Black community celebration back to life at Reservoir Park.

Reservoir Park will transform this week from a blank canvas to a cultural fair and carnival that celebrates Black and African American cultures in Lancaster. The annual African American Cultural Fair, which returns Wednesday and continues through Sunday, may look a little different than previous years, however. For starters, there will be a new art exhibition held at the event, featuring art from nine local Black artists, with works set up on easels donated by the Lancaster Art Vault. Community group Friends of Reservoir Park led much of the planning for the exhibit. The first 25 people to see the exhibition, held under the pavilion in Reservoir Park, will get an art print from Lancaster artist Keisha Finnie. Derek Smith of the African American Cultural Alliance of Lancaster (AACAL) which hosts the festival says that in order for the event to continue celebrating African American culture, it has to be representative of what the community is doing. While an art exhibition is an unfamiliar concept at the event, it’s important to try, Smith says. Another unfamiliarity is that AACAL is not hosting a parade this year due to construction and fewer sponsorships, Smith says. (Smith credits sponsors such as Highmark Wholecare, Lancaster Toyota, the City Limits Foundation and the Lancaster County Community Foundation, for the event being able to happen this year). In place of the parade, the AACAL will host a drill team, drum line and dance battle. “In order for stuff in our community to thrive, we have to be consistent,” Smith says. “Black people have always figured out a way to make things work.” But, it’s important to persist anyways and bring culture and community to Reservoir Park, Smith says. That’s why the event will include a five-day carnival, complete with a midway, games and food, as well as a talent show, a tribute event, line dancing, a worshipping event and a concert with R&B group Day26. For the rides, there will be $30 all-you-can-ride wristbands that can be used Wednesday and Thursday. This year, tickets will be done through an app called Magic Money, or through a pre-paid card. “When we do events in our neighborhood, it creates economic development in our neighborhood,” Smith says, adding that groups often come from out of town to visit the event. While it’s an event that celebrates African American and Black cultures, Smith says that everyone is welcome and should consider attending to experience the culture and the food. “Black culture and African American culture needs to be celebrated on the scale of every other culture across the city,” Smith says. “Our event is not just for Black people. It’s open to anybody.”