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Afro-Peruvian Fest
Afro-Peruvian Music and Dance
About the Organization
Afro-Peruvian Fest is the first Afro-Peruvian festival organized in the San Francisco Bay Area. Since 2006, it has gathered artists and cultural bearers residing in California to celebrate Afro-Peruvian culture. Every June, the festival offers performances, concerts, workshops, and interviews with Afro-Peruvian culture bearers. Free workshops in the Peruvian cajon (a box-shaped percussion instrument) and zapateo (dance/rhythmic footwork) are offered to children and adults from the local Peruvian, Latino, and African American communities.
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the first virtual Afro-Peruvian Fest was held, offering a unique opportunity to create bridges with Afro-Peruvian cultural bearers residing in Peru.
Braulio Barrera, Juan Medrano Cotito, Pedro Rosales, Pierr Padilla Vasquez, Ayla Davila, and José Roberto Hernandez perform “Toromata” at Afro-Peruvian Fest 2021.
Living Cultures Grant
2022
Fourth Afro-Peruvian Fest (2023)
With funding from ACTA’s Living Cultures Grant Program, the fourth Afro-Peruvian Fest, will be held in June 2023. The free event will include music and dance workshops, lectures, a photo exhibition, and concerts in Oakland, California.
2021
Second Virtual Afro-Peruvian Fest
In 2021, a grant from ACTA’s Living Cultures Grant Program supported the second virtual Afro-Peruvian Fest, which once again offered virtual concerts and workshops for all ages.
Gallery
Luke Kirley, Pierr Padilla & Camilo Ladnau
HUARANGO 2 - Place KPFA Radio Berkeley. Photo by Raul Ruiz
Photo courtesy of Pierr Padilla.
Photo courtesy of Pierr Padilla.
Photo courtesy of Pierr Padilla.