JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Back in full for its 25th anniversary, Johnson City’s UMOJA Unity Festival will fill King Commons Park Saturday.
The festival’s beloved parade returns — featuring African stilt walkers, drummers and dancers.
It will leave Carver Park at 11 a.m. before heading to Main Street and then along Boone toward the park. After that, it’s 11 hours of music, food, a free health fair and more.
One organizer, Paul Braxton, said this year’s event will recall the legacy of people like the late Reverend Vince Dial, Ralph and Glodean Davis and others who helped build UMOJA from its beginnings in the mid-1990s.
“We’re kind of remembering some of those who have gone on to glory since the festival started but they had major impact,” Braxton said. “So what we’re actually doing we’re living their legacy based on the foundation that they set.”
This year’s free event also includes children’s inflatables, vendors, and a return of the gospel explosion featuring several local church choirs and the East Tennessee State University Gospel Choir.
The parade, meanwhile, will feature perennial UMOJA favorites the Shaka Zulu stilt walkers hailing from New Orleans, along with the Watoto drummers.
“They have been a mainstay of our festival for many many years,” Braxton said of the stilt walkers.
“He (the stilt walkers’ patriarch) and several of his family members will be participating as well as the drummers – the Watoto dancers and Obianna, the main drummer, and his group will be participating. They are the ones that actually engage everyone. Everyone gets a chance to participate in the festival just from their performance.”
The gospel choirs began at 2:30 p.m. and perform until 4 p.m. Other musical acts include Quan The Rapper (4:15-4:30), ReggaeInfinity Band (5-6), Keylyme Experience Band (6:30-7:30) and Florencia and the Feeling (8-9 p.m.)
Headlining the festival is Funkytown, which will take the stage at 9:30 p.m. and is scheduled to play until 11 p.m.
“It’s the first time in a long time that we have the chance to be able to get out and breathe a little bit more without having to worry about too much of the pandemic,” Braxton said.
More information is available at umojajc.org.
