AFRO LEGACY FEST 2026

Afro Legacy Fest is the first festival of its kind organized by La Casa de la Cultura and its partners in Charlotte. For the third consecutive year, the festival brought together more than 1,500 people for three days of reflection, reconnection, and celebration of Afro-descendant cultures from across the Americas and the Caribbean—an experience where memory danced, the drum spoke, and the community responded.

The festival showcased a vibrant journey through the African diaspora with music, dance, workshops, and cultural conversations. Tradition bearers and artists shared expressions such as Venezuelan Calypso del Callao, Bomba puertorriqueña, the Garifuna Punta, Afro-Peruvian dance traditions, and Caribbean rhythms like Kompa, alongside educational panels and participatory workshops that highlighted the history, resilience, and cultural richness of Afro-descendant communities.

Events took place in important cultural spaces across the city including the VAPA Center, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, and Historic Rosedale Plantation, where the festival also created space for reflection, remembrance, and healing in connection with the history of the African diaspora.

For the third year in a row, Afro Legacy Fest continues to grow as a platform for community, education, and celebration of Afro-diasporic cultures, reaffirming the power of ancestral legacy and collective cultural expression.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the artists, partners, sponsors, and community members who joined us in this celebration. Without you, Afro Legacy Fest would not be possible. We especially thank our partners and sponsors: the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, Historic Rosedale Plantation, the Arts & Science Council, the North Carolina Arts Council, the Consulado de Honduras en Charlotte, and our community sponsors Sonesta Mechanic & Body Repair, ASAP Tax CLT, Compare Foods, and Alicia’s Kitchen. Together, we continue building legacy. 

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS 

Unity in Community 

Afro Legacy Fest is a space of gathering, remembrance, and collective belonging. From February 6–8, 2026, Charlotte becomes a meeting ground for Afro-descendant cultures from Africa, North America, the Caribbean, Central America, South America.

 

The festival honors living legacies rooted in community knowledge and intergenerational transmission. The Cepeda Family from Puerto Rico shares bomba as an ancestral practice of resistance, education, and cultural continuity. Bodoma Garífuna Culture Band uplifts Afro-Indigenous identity, affirming community as both memory and territory.

 

Based in Charlotte, Son de Pueblos represents the diversity of the Afro diaspora—a collective formed by members from multiple countries across the Americas and the Caribbean, united through music, dance, and education as tools for community building.

 

Through performances, workshops, and educational conversations held at the Harvey B. Gantt Center, Historic Rosedale, and the VAPA Center, Afro Legacy Fest advances a Pan-African vision where unity is not symbolic, but lived.

 

Unity in Community is not only our slogan—it is our practice, our legacy, and our shared future.

Afro Legacy Fest 2026 – Event Calendar

Celebrate the richness and creativity of the African diaspora. Through music, dance, visual arts, and storytelling, Afro Legacy Fest honors ancestral traditions while keeping culture alive for future generations.

Unity in Community.

VAPA Center
Friday, February 6th

OPENING CELEBRATION


Friday, February 6th

6:30 PM to 11:00 PM  


VAPA Center, Multipurpose room 

 

700 N. Tryon St. Charlotte, NC. 28202

Harvey B. Gantt Center
Saturday, February 7th

CELEBRATION, EDUCATIONAL PANEL, CULTURAL PERFORMANCES

 

Saturday, February 7th

12:00 to 5:00 PM  

Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture.

 

551 South Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202

 Reserve Your Spot for the Gantt!  February 7th 

⬇️ Get Your Tickets Here ⬇️

Historic Rosedale

February 8th

POTLUCK, MEET & GREET AND THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATION


Sunday, February 8th

11:00 to 2:00 PM

Historic Rosedale

 

3427 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28206.

ADDRESS

VIVA Collective

February 8th | evening

Dance and Drum workshops

(Puerto Rican Bomba)

Sunday, February 8th

5:00 to 8:00 PM 

901 N Tryon St b, Charlotte, NC 28206

ADDRESS

3 DAYS PROGRAM
PDF – 2.9 MB 142 downloads
VAPA CCENTER PROGRAM
PDF – 540.3 KB 107 downloads
HARVEY B. GANTT PROGRAM
PDF – 1.2 MB 135 downloads
Historic Rosedale Program
PDF – 1.2 MB 110 downloads

Cultural Bearers & Legacy Catalysts

Living the Legacy of Our Ancestors 

Puero Rico 

Rafa Cepeda Víctor Quiñones

Rafael Cepeda Rivera

The Rhythm of Heritage, The Art of the Grain

Born from the legendary Cepeda bloodline, Rafael is more than a dancer; he is the living heartbeat of Puerto Rico’s ancient Bomba tradition. His life is a rhythmic bridge between generations, where the sacred pulse of the drum meets the contemporary stage.

From choreographing for global icons like Rauw Alejandro to the meticulous craft of a master barista, Rafael moves between two worlds with a single soul. Whether through a strike of the drum or a perfectly poured cup at Sorbo Café, he serves the essence of Puerto Rican identity—turning heritage into a modern art form and every performance into an act of cultural resistance and love.

 

Víctor Quiñones

The Heartbeat of Loíza

Born in the "Capital of Tradition," Loíza, Puerto Rico, Víctor Quiñones has spent over a decade as a guardian of his people’s rhythm. His journey began in his hometown, where the echoes of the drums first taught him to narrate history through percussion.

Víctor’s hands have carried the essence of Bomba to global stages, sharing the spotlight with icons like Bad Bunny, Tego Calderón, and Lunay. As a cornerstone of El Junte Loiceño, his artistry is an anthem of Afro-descendant pride, preserving the traditional soul of his roots while igniting it with fresh energy.

Beyond the stage, Víctor is a mentor, passing the torch to new generations through his teachings. For him, every beat is a mission: to keep the heritage of Loíza alive and to elevate Bomba as a timeless symbol of resistance, joy, and community.

Garifuna Nation (Honduras)

Bodoma Garifuna Culture Band

Bodoma Garifuna Culture Band

The Ancestral Echo of the Afroindigenous

Rising from the soulful roots of the Garífuna people, Bodoma Garifuna Culture Band is a vibrant tapestry of sound, history, and spiritual resilience. With every strike of the Primero and Segunda drums, they summon the spirits of their ancestors, weaving the ancient languages and rhythms of the Caribbean into a modern celebration of life.

Guided by the passion of the Bodoma family, the band serves as a living library of culture. Their music—a hypnotic blend of Punta, Paranda, and Hungu-Hungu—transcends borders, turning every stage into a sacred space of storytelling. They do not just perform; they preserve, ensuring that the resilient voice of the Garífuna nation remains loud, proud, and eternal.

Through the harmony of their voices and the thunder of their drums, Bodoma invites the world to witness a legacy that refused to be silenced, dancing a path toward a future where tradition is the ultimate North Star.

Charlotte NC

diffrent countries 

Son de Pueblos

Son de Pueblos

The Voice of the Community, The Rhythm of the People

Born as a visionary project of the Casa de la Cultura, Son de Pueblos is a living testament to the power of community and the preservation of roots. It is more than an ensemble; it is a sonic journey across the vibrant landscapes of Latin America, gathering the stories, melodies, and soul of the people into a single, powerful harmony.

Like a bridge connecting the rural with the urban, Son de Pueblos weaves together the diverse threads of our continent—from the soulful strings of the mountains to the festive winds of the coast. Their music is an invitation to rediscover our shared heritage, celebrating the distinct flavors of every pueblo while reminding us that we all dance to the same universal heart. Through the wings of the Casa de la Cultura, they stand as a rhythmic embrace, proving that when a community sings together, its spirit knows no borders.

AFRO LEGACY FEST 2025

Afro Legacy Fest: Honoring African Roots 2025

In Charlotte's heart, where spirit takes its flight, La Casa de la Cultura shines its cultural light. With Gantt and Mint, a vibrant bond they share, Celebrating Afro-roots beyond compare.

Drums spoke of heritage, from Bomba's fiery beat, To Calypso's charm, and Garífuna's rhythmic feat. And Peru's vibrant pulse, where Afro-rhythms meet, Workshops and panels, wisdom bittersweet.

Through 'Cultura Disruptiva,' a podcast's insightful art, African echoes resonated, touching every heart. Artists shared their passion, young hands found their art, A circle of rhythm, where all played a part.

Unity, respect, and pride, their guiding star, La Casa de la Cultura, embracing near and far. With thanks to sponsors, who made this vision real, Their generous support, the joy we all could feel.

The Gantt's warm welcome, a space where cultures blend, Afro-heritage honored, a story without end.

 

Thanks to Samia Jaramillo, Salas Arts, and the noble who lent their might, ASC, Knight, Sonesta, Car & Body, SA Realty, the Mint's pure light. And to the Gantt, generous heart, who opened doors with love, To celebrate African heritage, with vibrant light from above.

 

Afro Legacy Fest is just the beginning—see you at the next edition!

Press (La Noticia)

The Mint Museum Uptown and the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture became the epicenter of a display of Afro-descendant cultural wealth in Latin America, thanks to two days of events that fused art, music, dance and education in a single space. These events are part of the celebration of the Afro Legacy Fest organized by the nonprofit La Casa de la Cultura, which celebrated its second anniversary between Friday, February 7 and Saturday, February 8.

(Day 1) Mint Museum

With every step we take, we carry the strength of our ancestors. In every glance, we hold a fire that never dims. We are the heirs of a vibrant, diverse, and powerful legacy. Afro Legacy Fest is more than an event: it is a call to unity, a tribute to resilience, and a space to honor our roots while building a brighter future together.

On February 7th and 8th, 2025, at La Casa de la Cultura, we will raise our voices in celebration and defiance—defiance against fragmentation, against forgetting, against untold stories. United, as a community, we find the strength to heal, to create, and to move forward.

Afro Legacy Fest 2025 will be a transformative experience, featuring:

🎉 Afro Legacy Fest 2025 – A Two-Day Celebration of Culture and Heritage! 🎉

Day 1: Kickoff Event

 

📅 Date: Friday, February 7th, 2025

📍 Location: Mint Museum, Mint2Move

🕖 Time: 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM

✨ Join us for a night of cultural rhythms and dynamic performances featuring:

• Bomba Puertorriqueña

• Festejo Peruano

• Traditional music from Venezuela

• The vibrant sounds of Honduras

🎭 Performance by Afro Legacy Fest Artists: 45 minutes of electrifying dance and music celebrating the fusion of Afro-Caribbean and Latin American traditions.

🎟️ Tickets Available: Purchase your tickets directly at the Mint Museum.

Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture (Day2)

Day 2: Main Event

📅 Date: Saturday, February 8th, 2025

📍 Location: Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture

🕛 Time: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM

✨ A full day of activities for the whole family!

• Dance Workshops: Learn traditional Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latin dances, including Bomba, Festejo, and Garifuna rhythms.

• Music Workshop: Explore the vibrant rhythms of Afrodescendant music, led by experts.

• Family-Friendly Activities: Kids can enjoy hands-on art projects, such as collage-making and printmaking.

• Cultural Performances: Live music and dance by Son de Pueblos, Bodoma Garifuna, Tambor y Caña, Nadia Calmet culminating in a spectacular jam session.

🎉 FREE EVENT! Bring the whole family and experience the rich heritage of Afro descendant and Caribbean cultures.

 

💃 Celebrate Afro Legacy Fest across two days of unforgettable experiences!

Master Class: Afro-Peruvian Rhythms with:

Nadia Calmet

Join us for a unique Afro-Peruvian Rhythms Master Class led by Nadia Calmet, an expert in Afro-Peruvian culture and dance. Experience the vibrant energy and rich traditions of this incredible art form!

 

📅 Date: February 8

🕖 Time: 7:00 - 8:30 PM

📍 Location: BLVD Studios, 6259 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28217

💲 Cost: $35

 

📞 Registration: Call 980-403-7935

 

Organized by Salas Art Agency in partnership with

La Casa de la Cultura, this workshop is open to all levels. Don’t miss the chance to immerse yourself in the rhythms and movements of Afro-Peruvian dance!

🔗 More info at: www.nadiacalmet.com