A week-long celebration of all things Harlem is going digital next month.
The Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce announced that Harlem Week 2020 will be held virtually, streaming online from Aug. 16-23. The week will not only celebrate art, culture, sports history and entertainment that is native to Harlem, but also include community building initiatives around education, technology, economic empowerment, systematic racism, and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color.
“We recognize that 2020 is a year unlike anything we have ever seen. From COVID-19 ravaging our most vulnerable communities to the racial reckoning in America, it is important that we share the culture, history, resilience and strength of Harlem to the world,” said Lloyd Williams, President of The Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce. “This year also marks the centennial celebrations of the Harlem Renaissance, the Negro Baseball League and the Women’s Suffrage Movement. We are proud to lead the way in the resurgence of sports, art, entertainment and activism as New York City recovers from the multiple pandemics.”
For 46 years, Harlem Week has showcased the best of Harlem. The week’s lineup of events includes:
- Harlem 5K Virtual Run and Health Walk (Aug. 16 through Aug. 23)
- The Harlem Music Festival (Aug. 16 through Aug. 23)
- A Great Day in Harlem (Aug. 16)
- Youth Education and Career Conference & Hack-A-Thon (Aug. 16)
- Hon. Percy E. Sutton Business Conference (Aug. 19)
- Jobs and Career Fair featuring a discussion on Jobs Behind The Scenes on Broadway (Aug. 19)
- Senior Citizens Day (Aug. 21)
- HARLEM DAY (Aug. 23)
Harlem Week will also include a COVID-19 Regional Summit (Aug. 18), the first-ever Hon. Charles B. Rangel Systemic Racism & Economic Justice Summit (Aug. 20); along with panel discussions led by the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
A number of special guests will make an appearance at Harlem Week, including performances and appearances by music greats Dionne Warwick, John Legend, Nona Hendryx, Monty Alexander, Hezekiah Walker and Melba Moore; hip-hop icon Doug E. Fresh; Grammy award winning singer, Stephanie Mills; Dancing with the Stars musical director Ray Chew; legendary actors Phylicia Rashad and Danny Glover; master arranger, Jazz composer, producer Nat Adderly Jr.; Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Oyu Oro Afro Cuban Dance Ensemble; music by Bob Dylan in an exclusive performance of The Girl From The North Country; an exclusive premiere of Langston Hughes’ The Black Clown courtesy of Lincoln Center; a celebration of the 56th anniversary of Jazzmobile’s Summerfest; as well as a performance from legendary Wynton Marsalis.
For a complete list of events, visit www.harlemweek.com.
