• Fri. Mar 24th, 2023

NJPAC’s annual free Kwanzaa Family Festival is where family members of all ages will engaged with activities dedicated to the Kwanzaa seven principles of Kwanzaa. Photo provided

By NNPA Newswire

For 20 years, New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) has provided a platform for families to learn and celebrate the cultural traditions associated with Kwanzaa.

In an innovative move, this year NJPAC continues to celebrate their annual Kwanzaa tradition virtually with numerous events and presentations that audiences from everywhere can experience and enjoy from the comfort and safety of their own homes with the convenience and ease of Zoom. NJPAC’s annual free Kwanzaa Family Festival is where family members of all ages will be engaged with activities dedicated to the Kwanzaa seven principles of Kwanzaa: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity) and Imani (Faith).

The youngest members of the family can enjoy the online arts and crafts projects to young teens and adults engaging in the many panel discussions about storytelling with the elders, social justice or Black theatre.

Take an online class to explore West African dance, stepping, Zumba, drumming, capoeira, Bebop Graffiti Arts or Afrobeats. There is something for everyone at this year’s Kwanzaa celebration.

Explore the Kwanzaa Artisian Marketplace where vendors display creative, unique and many one of a kind hand-crafted items satisfying all gift giving and shopping needs.

The Kwanzaa Artisan Marketplace is virtual and open now until December 31, 2020 – everyone from anywhere can shop one-of-a-kind gifts and many hand-crafted items by visiting: Virtual Kwanzaa Festival – NJPAC.

Kwanzaa is an African American celebration of life from December 26 to January 1. Dr. Maulana Karenga introduced the festival in 1966 to the United States as a ritual to welcome the first harvests to the home.

Karenga created this festival for Afro-Americans as a response to the commercialism of Christmas.

For a schedule of events and other information, visit: On-Demand at Njpac.org.

Follow NJPAC Online on their website, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.