BLACK ENTERPRISE will present the 2014 African American Festival with platinum sponsor Pepsi on Saturday, June 21 through Sunday, June 22, at the Camden Yards Sports & Entertainment Complex in Baltimore, Maryland with a powerhouse line-up of musical performers. The annual free festival is a celebration of life, music, and culture. It includes stellar performances, empowerment seminars, and fun for the entire family.
As the largest cultural festival on the East Coast, the festival has welcomed over 350,000 attendees annually. Attendees will experience wellness, beauty, and technology while enjoying the sultry sounds of national recording artist and emerging talent. Performers include R&B Divas Star Monifah, Chico DeBarge, the multitalented Jacob Latimore, and the rock-based funk band Mint Condition on Saturday, June 21.
On Sunday, June 22, attendees will enjoy Choir Boys, Preachers of L.A. star Deitrick Haddon and Mario during the day and at night the soulful R&B crooner Johnny Gill takes the stage before ending the festival with Grammy Award winning artist Brandy. Attendees of the festival can visit the Pepsi Pavilion throughout the two-day festival to take part in their live empowerment sessions with celebrity guests, inspiring conversations and prizes throughout the weekend. Activities will be hosted by Kwame Jackson of “The Apprentice” fame.
Saturday will feature an education and job skills game show, a book signing by Valeshia Butterfield Jones, a one-on-one session with music executive Kevin Liles, plus a live DJ entertaining the crowd throughout the day. Pepsi will also host a special edition of the annual Black Enterprise Elevator Pitch Competition, where five entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners will be invited to pitch on-stage before a panel of judges and a live audience. The competition is open to the public; to enter contestants can post Instagram videos with their business ideas and include the hash tag #BEBestPitch.
The best five pitched will be selected to pitch live at the festival to win an amazing grand prize. On Sunday, the Pavilion will host another round of sessions, starting the day off with an empowerment session with Lincoln Stephens, Executive Director of The Marcus Graham Project and a conversation with Laz Alonso about his journey from the boardroom to Hollywood. The African American Festival is presented by Black Enterprise, hosted by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and the city of Baltimore, and produced by greiBO Entertainment.