Kwanzaa Celebration at Penn Museum Highlights African-American Culture and Community

Photo: Eddy Marenco for the Penn Museum. Images available for download here. Additional images are available here.

PHILADELPHIA, November 25, 2024—The Afro Culture Preservation Council’s 41st Annual Kwanzaa Children’s Festival at the Penn Museum will bring together the Greater Philadelphia community to honor African-American heritage on Sunday, December 29, from 11:00 am-4:00 pm. Admission is free and includes access to the Museum’s world-renowned galleries and exhibitions, daylong festivities, and historic gardens.

Rooted in celebrating the harvest, Kwanzaa is an African-American and Pan-African holiday that highlights values, family, community, and culture through its seven principles: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith).

“Kwanzaa is the gathering to appreciate the contributions we have made to the world and thank our Ancestors for never giving up,” explains Malika Parker, Founder of the Afro Culture Preservation Council (ACPC). “The Kwanzaa Children’s Festival is a beacon of unity, creativity, and heritage. This celebration serves as a platform for positive change.”

The Kwanzaa Celebration at the Penn Museum will be filled with vibrant traditions, live music, special performances, and family friendly fun, including the:

• Opening Ceremony with an energetic drumming procession from Karen Smith Drumming, and meaningful traditions, such as libations and the candle lighting ceremony
• Children’s Village, a dedicated space for kids to engage in creative activities like facepainting and a museum scavenger hunt, while learning about Kwanzaa’s principles
• Vendors Marketplace with goods from local Black-owned businesses and artisans, plus interactive workshops
• Live performances by the African American Stilt Ballet, the Black Boys Makin’ Noise Storytelling Group, and other local artists
• New in 2024: Hand-made Zawadi gifts, which are traditionally exchanged on the last day of the holiday, for all.

In addition, the Museum Cafe will offer a Kwanzaa-themed menu with 20% off all purchases.

"Working with the ACPC to host this Kwanzaa Celebration has inspired our team to consider new ways of highlighting the museum collections and engaging our youngest audiences during the holiday season,” explains Rorujorona Ferrell, the Assistant Director of Community Engagement Programs at the Penn Museum. “After welcoming over 800 guests to last year's celebration, many people have been able to learn more about Kwanzaa and its traditions. This celebration goes beyond this one-day event, and we hope the positive impact will continue well into 2025."

Partners and supporters for the Kwanzaa Celebration include the ACPC, Keystone Mercy, Penn Museum, Philadelphia Corporation for the Aging, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and the Philadelphia Cultural Alliance.

“The Kwanzaa Children’s Festival is an opportunity to connect with your community, celebrate African-American culture, and create lasting memories with your family,” adds Parker. “For seven days, we light the candles and each day, we remember. Join us in keeping this beautiful tradition alive.”

The full line-up and registration for the Kwanzaa celebration can be found here.