Return of Goombay!
One of the last events of Downtown Asheville’s summer event series returns this weekend. The Goombay! festival celebrates the Caribbean-African heritage with good food, music and more.
Music will include reggae, blues, r&b and gospel. Reggae acts include Peace, Dubb Axxess and Reggae Infinity, and blues acts will include local staple the Chuck Beattie Band. There’s also been a lot of buzz about Christian rapper B-Wise, who will play Sunday night. The website has a complete schedule of bands.
Saturday’s parade, from noon to 1, is without a doubt the highlight of the weekend. The Goombay! tradition originated in slave-era Caribbean islands, and the parade captures the colorful tradition of that culture. Drums, colorful costumes and dancing will pave the way through The Block, the historic African-American district on South Market Street.
Posted by Mark Vanderhoff, a Western North Carolina REALTOR.
