The Surry African American Heritage Society
"Celebrating the Work African Americans have done in Building America" and "Footprints of Education........"
Welcome!
The Surry County African American Heritage Society and its Family Reunion
Festival committee welcomes everyone to its celebration of the African
American family and the contributions of people of African decent to the
building of America. We invite you to attend and join in the celebration by
telling your family's story and participating in the fun activities.
The Reunion Festival will allow
you to explore the bonds that African Americans share with the motherland, Africa, other ethnic groups and the African Diaspora spread throughout the western hemisphere. During the Reunion Festival, you will be able to explore the
service of Surry African Americans soldiers and sailors during the civil was and
the institutions that helped African American communities to pull themselves up
by their own boot straps.
The Reunion Festival will take place at the Surry County Parks & Recreation Center during the weekend of Oct. 15 & 16th 2011. It will be reminiscent of a typical African American Family Reunion. The grounds of Surry County Parks & Recreation Center will be set up as a festive marketplace like those found in Africa and the Caribbean Islands. Food, arts, crafts and informational booths will be arranged around on the rear lawn. A main stage will provide a platform for national recording artist and local musical acts. Children will be intrigued and have fun in “Kiddyland”. The entertainment, food, arts, and craft will be influenced by the cultures of African Americans, Africans, and Caribbean’s. Informational booths will provide display areas for the family history of individual African American families & historical artifacts and details about family research. Information booths will illustrate the history of some of Surry County's oldest African American churches, civic, & charitable organizations that have served the community for a hundred years or more.
Some of the major concerns that will be addressed include health issues, education, and parenting, etc. Saturday’s event will start with the Parade of Families and Sunday’s event will begin with a procession of churches and outdoor religious service. The 2011 Surry County African American Family Reunion Festival will be the county’s 5th annual event.
Parking is only $5.00 per car load
Children age 12 and under are free
( Religious Service is Free 10 AM and 12 PM )
Surry African American Family Reunion 2011 Weekend
Saturday October 15th, Surry Parks & Recreation
GATES OPEN AT 1:00PM ENDS AT 8:00PM
2:00PM PARADE OF
FAMILIES
ENTERTAINMENT
* 2:45 - Tribute Negro baseball league & local teams of 1940's & 1970's
* 3:30 - Tribute softball game
* 4:30 - Good Life band
* 6:00 - Dance Contest; music by DJ Baseline
Food Booths, Informational, and Arts & Crafts Booths
Surry African American family Information Displays
Sunday October 16th, Surry Parks & Recreation
GATES OPEN AT 9:00AM ENDS AT 6PM
10:00AM
PROCESSION OF CHURCHES
* 10:30 - Worship Service, Rev. Bruce Childs (Poplar Lawn Baptist Church)
* 12:00 - Poplar Lawn Baptist Church choir and concert
* 12:30 - Tributes: Surry African American soldiers and
sailors
-- Surry African American soldiers and sailors
-- Chariots of Fire "How We Got Over"
-- Smallwood Institute
* 2:00 - TBA
* 2:30 - Kings' Travelers
* 4:15 - Forte Jazz Band
Food Booths, Information Booths, and Arts & Crafts Booths
Surry African American family Information Displays
--Veterans Administration Rural Outreach Intuitive
The OJay's - "Family Reunion"