WASHINGTON, D.C., USA – On Sunday, August 3, 2014, DC’s Mayor Vincent C. Gray and his Office on African Affairs (OAA) held its 5th Annual DC Africa Festival in cooperation with World Trade Center Washington, D.C. (Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center). A record number of attendees joined the festivities as President Barack Obama prepared to welcome 50 African leaders to the historic U.S.-Africa Summit in the nation’s capital. Mayor Gray and Andrew Gelfuso, Vice President of the Office for Trade Promotion, made welcoming remarks and spoke of the significance of the Africa Summit and the diversity of the African community. The festival was packed with music, dance performances, craft vendors, and a Parade of African Flags.

Each year, the Mayor’s Annual Africa Festival celebrates diverse communities of the District’s African diaspora through art, culture, food, history, and music. Since its inception in 2010, the Festival has fast become one of the District’s most anticipated cultural events drawing thousands of attendees. The event stands as a unique testament to the unprecedented growth and presence of the District’s African residents. It further echoes the goals of OAA’s Multicultural Awareness and Community Building Program –celebrating the varied identities of African people; promoting the different cultures within the District’s African community; and encouraging all District residents to learn about African heritage, customs, and history.

For more information on the event please visit: http://oaa.dc.gov/event/fifth-annual-dc-africa-festival