37th Midwest Black Family Reunion returns Aug. 14-17

By Tiffany Lucky

Presented by TriHealth and co-presented by the GRO Community, the 2025 Midwest Black Family Reunion (BFR) is set to return to the Queen City Aug. 14-17. This year’s theme is “Everlasting Endurance.”

The four-day celebration kicks off with BFR Speaks on Thursday, Aug. 14, featuring special guest Dr. Bernice King, daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It will be followed by the Heritage Breakfast on Friday, Aug. 15, on Fountain Square, with Cynthia Booth, CEO of Emerge Manufacturing, as the keynote. The main event is at Sawyer Point Aug. 16-17, featuring national recording artist Midnight Star on Saturday, and Grammy Award-winner and Gospel legend Fred Hammond on Sunday.

This year’s BFR will honor City Gospel Mission President Dr. Jonathan Brown and family with the Family of the Year Award. This year’s parade Grand Marshall will be Hamilton County Commissioner Alicia Reece. Returning to this year’s BFR is the job fair (in partnership with Superior Career Fairs) on Thursday at Music Hall, as well as the local college tour on Friday.

NEW THIS YEAR: This year’s BFR Parade, held on Saturday, Aug. 16, will move from Avondale to downtown Cincinnati, beginning on Eggleston Drive and concluding on Pete Rose Way at Sawyer Point. The guest band is the Central State University Band.

Other new and noteworthy events for 2025 include:

• Cincinnati Queen City Ride: Hosted by the Major Taylor Cycling Club of Cincinnati, the two-day cycling event rolls out Aug. 15-16, offering 31- and 62-mile routes.
• Historic Tour of Black Cincinnati: This year’s tour expands to include new stops at the Harriet Beecher Stowe House, the Cincinnati Federation of Colored Women’s Club house and the Freedom Center.
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Sandra Jones Mitchell, President of the Avondale Community Council, will be recognized for her decades of service and dedication to neighborhood advancement.
• Hot fun in the summertime: From a pickleball tournament to the largest line dance in BFR history, and a dynamic Divine 9 step show, the 2025 BFR lineup has something for everyone.

Events for this year’s BFR include:

• BFR Speaks, featuring Dr. Bernice King, presented by First Financial Bank
• BFR Heritage Breakfast, featuring Cynthia Booth, presented by Fifth Third
• BFR Lounge, honoring Jackie Taggart-Boyd
• BFR Parade, with Alicia Reece as Grand Marshall
• BFR Big Game Weekend
• BFR Neighborhood Summer Games
• BFR Urban Concert, featuring Midnight Star
• BFR Gospel Concert, featuring Fred Hammond
• BFR College Tour
• BFR Job Fair, in partnership with Superior Career Fairs
• BFR Historic Tour of Black Cincinnati, presented by Metro

“‘Everlasting Endurance’ is not just a theme, it’s a testament to our ability to stand firm in the face of challenges while continuing to uplift one another,” says Tracey Farley-Artis, BFR Executive Director. “Now, more than ever, our community must hold on to the strength that has carried us through generations. This year’s reunion will be a powerful reminder of our resilience, our legacy, and the future we’re building together.”

Sponsors for the 2025 BFR include: TriHealth (presenting sponsor); GRO Community (co-sponsor); Nissan (official car sponsor); First Financial Bank (BFR Speaks sponsor); Kroger; Fifth Third Bank; Verizon; Procter & Gamble; McDonald’s; Cintas; PNC Bank; Metro; UC Health; Superior Career Fairs; FC Cincinnati; Cincinnati Works; AllMac & Associates; Interac for Health; YWCA of Greater Cincinnati; Hightowers Petroleum Co.; Cincinnati Children’s Hospital; City of Cincinnati; Coca-Cola; Western & Southern Financial Group; Beckman Coulter; Cincinnati Reds; CareSource; Closing the Health Gap; UMADAOP of Cincinnati, Inc.; Miami University; University of Cincinnati; Cincinnati State Technical and Community College; Altafiber; WGRI Radio/Inspiration 1050; The Cincinnati Herald; Visit Cincy; United Way of Greater Cincinnati; Community Action Agency Cincinnati-Hamilton County; Cincinnati NAACP; Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.; The Cincinnati (OH) Chapter of The Links, Inc.; Journey Steel; Humana; National Kidney Foundation; The Ohio Legislative Black Caucus; American Red Cross; Great Parks of Hamilton County; Aetna; Greater Cincinnati Foundation; The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW); Kingdom Family Dentistry; Network for Hope; National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP); Messer Construction Co.; Hamilton County, Ohio; Cincinnati Recreation Commission; The Ohio Kings; Duke Energy; NeighborHub Health Network (NPHN) of Greater Cincinnati; Alnylam Pharmaceuticals; Valor & Virtue Productions; SuperSeeds; The Alzheimer’s Association’s Greater Cincinnati and Miami Valley Chapters; The Children’s Law Center; Warsaw Federal; Walker Funeral Home; Sure Mechanical; Village of Woodlawn; Kingsley + Co.; TriVersity Construction; Pride of the Valley Lodge #95; and JazzJordan, Inc.

For more information, visit myblackfamilyreunion.org.