What to know
- Harbourfront Centre’s 31st annual KUUMBA festival runs Feb. 1 to 28, celebrating Black Futures Month with music, visual art and live performances on the waterfront.
- The festival spotlights two major Saturday events: the spoken word showcase, When Brothers & Sisters Speak, on Feb. 7 and the Valentine’s Day concert The Love. Affair. & Afterparty Affair. on Feb. 14.
- Organizers say KUUMBA honours Black history while focusing on innovation and the future, highlighting Black voices, creativity and community throughout February.
Harbourfront Centre’s Black Futures Month festival has arrived, and there’s two must-attend events to spend your Saturdays this February.
Running Feb. 1 through 28, the 31st annual KUUMBA takes over the waterfront, with Black creativity, music, visual art, and more all at Harbourfront Centre .
Evolving from the widely recognized Black History Month, KUUMBA focuses on Black Futures Month, shifting the focus from only recognizing past struggles and achievements to actively supporting, imagining, and celebrating the future and continued advancement of Black communities.
“We’re trying to keep our finger on the pulse and not forget those who came before us, but making a difference in the future for the ones ahead,” Senior Arts & Culture Manager and Co-Curator of KUUMBA Diana Webley explained to Now Toronto. “We always kind of held on to the past, and while the past is the reason why we’re here, the future piece of Black Futures Month is to really pay homage and celebrate what’s to come.”
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What’s happening at KUUMBA?
With a ton of jam-packed events in store all month long, Feb. 7 brings Dwayne Morgan’s two spoken word events together for the first time — When Brothers & Sisters Speak. Held inside The Fleck at Harbourfront Centre Theatre, this evening features local and international guest poets diving deep and unapologetically into the Black experience.
When Brothers Speak is recognized as the continent’s largest and longest-running showcase of Black male spoken word artists. Its counterpart, When Sisters Speak, features the bold and beautiful voices of Black women, telling their truths with honesty and fire.
Joining visionary curator and Scarborough Walk of Fame inductee Dwayne Morgan will be Eddie Lartey, Paulina O’Kieffe-Anthony, Desiree Mckenzie, Chukky Ibe, Queen Sheba and Shawn William. Single tickets for When Brothers & Sisters Speak are listed at $50.
The following week, on Feb. 14, it’s all about Valentine’s Day, and KUUMBA is setting the mood with The Love. Affair. & Afterparty Affair.
This one-day-only special brings JUNO Award winner Sean Jones to the forefront, where he’ll perform classic and original R&B hits alongside guest performers and his stellar ten-piece band.
After the show, the fun doesn’t stop there. Guests can enjoy an exclusive Afterparty Affair with local DJ crew BELLOSOUND spinning the biggest tunes and live sets. Tickets are listed at $50.
Webley emphasized that the event isn’t only for lovers.
“KUUMBA is for everyone,” she said. “It could be a galentine’s, a palentine’s. It could be whatever you like! There’s something to be celebrated all month.”
For more information on this year’s celebration, head to Harbourfront Centre’s website.
