Pan Afrikan Festival celebrates African descent in Rochester

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The weekend had quite a few cultural festivals to offer around town.

In addition to the Puerto Rican Festival, the 15th annual Pan Afrikan Festival took place at Highland Bowl on Saturday.

There was live music, African food, a beer and wine tent, and vendors lined up and down the park selling art and clothes inspired by cultures across the African continent.

One vendor explains how the festival can combat people’s negative perceptions of the City of Rochester.

“You would think we don’t have any sense of community, we don’t have any sense of regard or love for one another, but we really do,” says Aneesah Willis. “So having an event like this gives us an opportunity to come out and enjoy each other’s company.”

She says a Pan Afrikan Festival is important, because many people of African descent don’t know exactly where in Africa their ancestors come from.