The International Heritage Festival is an annual event held by the East Austin community to celebrate Black History Month. A variety of local artists, performers, and businesses will offer music, entertainment, food, crafts and much more.

Event: 12th Annual International Heritage Festival:
Promoting Reentry Into the Neighborhood and Health & Wellness
Cost: Free
When: Saturday, February 7, 2009
Where: Greater Mount Zion Baptist Church
1801 Pennsylvania Ave.
(512) 478-7578
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
The International Heritage Festival is the East Austin community’s annual Black History Month celebration. This year’s theme is “Promoting Reentry Into the Neighborhood and Health & Wellness”. The event will feature a Walk/Run, Mini Health Festival, Vendor Bazaar, Youth Art Contest, Community Awards Ceremony, and Music Festival.

Please come out and join Austin-owned businesses offering a variety of items such as food, clothing, jewelry, artwork, plus much more. Come shop while poets, musicians, and dancers from Austin and surrounding cities entertain you. It’s an experience you won’t want to miss, so bring the entire family and come celebrate Black History Month with us!

The 12th Street East End International Heritage Festival started in 1997 as the Black Community Marketplace at the Rosewood Recreation Center and is always held on the 1st Saturday of February. Founder Don Ellerby’s vision is to promote Ujamaa, a Kwanzaa Principle meaning “cooperative economics” in East Austin by provide a showcase opportunity for local businesses, entertainers, artists and non-profit organizations. A few vendors include The GMZ Greater Life Institute, Power Shack, African Visions, Africa Etc., Capital Metro, Weed & Seed, Brown Fabrications and many more. Entertainers include Saul Paul and many more.

For several years the Festival was sponsored by the Austin Parks and Recreation Department. During this time it became an international celebration, recognizing African American culture while embracing all the other cultures that make up the true African American “melting-pot”.

Each year the Festival includes a Community Awards Ceremony recognizing citizens whose contributions to the community have gone far beyond the call of duty. Since 2006, the awards have been presented by honored dignitaries such as Congressman Lloyd Doggett, Representative Dawnna Dukes, Mayor Kirk Watson, and Mayor Will Wynn.

The festival also features a city-wide art competition and a health & wellness fair.

The tradition almost came to an end after the Festival’s 10th anniversary, when city budget cuts led to the withdrawal of Parks and Recreation Department sponsorship. But the community refused to let the Festival die. In January 2008 a group of community leaders, including Don Ellerby, Simone Pollard, Jason Carr, musician and promoter SaulPaul and Pastor Sherwynn Patton of Greater Mount Zion Baptist Church came together to adopt the Festival. Volunteers organized the 11th annual Festival in only four weeks, and the event that almost didn’t happen became the most successful in the Festival’s history with record attendance.

In November 2008 the Ujamaa Community Foundation of Austin was established as a permanent sponsor for the Festival. Co-sponsors this year are the 12th Street East End Committee and the Greater Life Institute.
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The 12th Street East End International Heritage Festival is held on the first Friday of every February.

For information, please contact Simone Pollard at (512) 947-9066.







