COLUMBIA, S.C. — Music, food, and history came together in Columbia on Saturday at the annual Jubilee Festival to celebrate Black history and culture in the city.
Program organizer Sherard Shekese Duvall said community, commerce, and cuisine are each part of the making of the festival.
“It’s a celebration of Black culture and it's almost like a Black family reunion for the Black folks in South Carolina,” Duval said.
While a celebration of Black culture, the festival is for everyone. At the center of entertainment were beats on African drums and activity on the dance floor as people gathered.
“This is all good because we all need each other and it feels so good to fellowship with them all,” one event-goer said.
Jay Johnson and his wife drove all the way from Atlanta to join in on the joy of Jubilee.
“Our dollars go back into the community. That’s why we try to deal with people from the community," Johnson said. "So the dollar circulates within the community.”
Vendors lined the streets with art, fashion, and, of course, food - from Jamaican beef patties to world-class catfish.
Community members say the Jubilee is a great way to refocus on the good.
This is the 44th year of the festival. The event is organized by Historic Columbia.