Published: August 23, 2008 09:25 pm         

Annual African-American Festival draws a crowd

Event marks 22nd year of festivities

TERRE HAUTE — The streets surrounding 17th and Oak were full of vehicles and Thompson Park had a full crowd Saturday for the Charles T. Hyte Center’s 22nd Annual African-American Festival.

Dwayne Malone, co-chairman of the event, said all was well with the festival as Indiana State University’s WISU-FM 89.7 radio station kept the music going.

“We’re having a great time,” he said, noting the teamwork involved in the planning with co-chair Mae White and board president Franklin Brown.

Malone estimated between 1,500 and 2,000 had come and gone from the festivities before 6 p.m. The program kicked off at 10:30 a.m. and wrapped up about 9 p.m.

“The vendors and everybody are having a great time,” he said, noting the success of earlier activities such as the 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

And while Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama was making public his choice for running mate, Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, his supporters were making their voices heard back here in the Wabash Valley.

“We have done fantastic,” said Obama For President co-captain Lena Johnson, who along with her sister and fellow co-captain Ora Martin, were running a campaign booth at the park.

More than 32 people registered to vote amidst the T-shirts, bumper stickers and other literature, as volunteers Bill Bemford and Unite Wilcox offered information at every turn.

Homey’s Que and Grill brought their wares down from 1100 College Ave., one of many vendors offering sausage, ribs and corn on the cob.

“Attendance is a lot better than last year,” noted Jackie Farrow, recalling the rains and humidity of 2007.

Now in its second decade, the festival was launched in 1986 at Washington Park to showcase African-American culture within Terre Haute, as well as unite the community, said Malone.

For more information on The Hyte Center and its other activities, call (812) 234-0724 or visit www.thehytecenter.org.

Brian Boyce can be reached at (812) 231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.