TIMELESS IMPRESSIONS OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA: This new virtual broadcast presented by Miami’s renown Delou Africa Inc. brings to life the collective work of Miami’s Delou Africa Dance Ensemble, WaWo Performing Arts Company of Trinidad and a collective of Tobago partnership performing groups. Footprints was created as an International Cultural Arts Exchange project. Artists from throughout South Florida worked with the Artists of Trinidad & Tobago to recount the historic links between the two Nations and their common mother continent. The culminating New Work blends classic and contemporary African cultural experiences with interdisciplinary expressions of music, dance, folklore and visual art. “Footprints: Timeless Impressions of the African Diaspora” is partially funded by the Miami-Dade County Division of Cultural Affairs and supported by community partners including Greater Miami Convention and Tourism Bureau, Little Haiti Cultural Complex, On Screen Productions, Sandrell Rivers Theater/Fantasy Factory Theatre, Tobias McBeth and the Togabo House of Assembly Division of Tourism, Culture and Transportation. Due to on-going impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, this event will be broadcast virtually on Sunday, Dec. 26, 4 – 6 p.m. Register at: https://bit.ly/3EHKMbd or contact Njeri at 305-978-3866 or delouafrica@yahoo.com.

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KWANZAA CREATOR SPECIAL VIRTUAL LECTURE: On Dec. 31 at 8:30 p.m. the African American Cultural Center and National Association of Kawaida Organizations (NAKO) and The International African Arts Festival (iaafestival) will present a virtual 55th anniversary Kwanzaa Celebration featuring Dr. Maulana Karenga, the creator of Kwanzaa, a Libation and Candle Lighting ceremonies as well as cultural and artistic presentations. In addition to Dr. Karenga being the creator of Kwanzaa, the Nguzo Saba & Kawaida, he is also professor & chair, Department of Africana Studies, CSULB; chair of the Organizations Us & The National Association of Kawaida Organizations (NAKO). He is the author of several scholarly books, among them: “Introduction to Black Studies”; “MAAT: The Moral Ideal in Ancient Egypt”; & “Odu Ifa: The Ethical Teachings”. Cultural presentations will be dispersed throughout the program, offered by the Camden base Universal African Dance, an African American Classical Music/Jazz ensemble which will include Stanley Banks and Friends as well as others. Visit the International African Arts Festival website at iaafestival.org.

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DELRAY DYN-O-MITE! JIMMIE ‘JJ’ WALKER: On Thursday, Jan. 6 at 8 p.m. the Arts Garage launches an hysterical new comedy series The Art of Laughter, kicking off with TV, Film and Comedy Club superstar Jimmie “JJ” Walker. The new series will run quarterly on First Thursdays and will feature some of the best touring comedians from South Florida and beyond. Rising from the streets of New York’s ghettos to television superstardom, Walker’s catch phrase "Dyn-o-mite!" is part of the modern vernacular, and he became such a major celebrity in the 1970s that Time magazine named him "Comedian of the Decade.” Tickets to the general admission comedy shows are $30 available by calling the box office at 561-450-6357 or going online to artsgarage.org.

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PALM BEACH POETRY FESTIVAL 2022: The 18th annual festival promises six days of all-virtual literary workshops, readings, craft talks, one-on-one conferences, poet panel, and more, Jan.10-15.

Among the highlights of the upcoming Palm Beach Poetry Festival will be presentations by:

+ Special Guest Poet Yusef Komunyakaa, a recipient in 1994 of both the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry and the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award, and the 2021 Griffin Poetry Prize Lifetime Achievement Award.

+ Poet-at-Large Aimee Nezhukumatathil, a winner of both a poetry fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts and the prestigious Pushcart Prize. The general public will have virtual access to all of the festival’s ticketed and free events via Zoom, including the opening night reading. To register and receive the Zoom link for this free event, or for other information including a full schedule and workshop descriptions, plus biographical information and links to the work of all featured poets. Visit palmbeachpoetryfestival.org.

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MARSALIS AT KRAVIS: The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in Wests Palm Beach is announcing changes to this season’s previously announced Regional Arts Classical Concert MUSIC at 2 and MUSIC at 8 Series, including Sunday, Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra with Branford Marsalis. Tickets for the new concerts are available for purchase online through the center’s website at kravis.org; or by phone at 561-832-7469 or 800-572-8471. The Kravis Center is focused on ensuring the health and safety of our audiences, artists and staff. A CDC approved mask that covers the mouth and nose is required to be worn by all guests. To learn more about our current health and safety protocols visit kravis.org/healthsafety.

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WEST PALM BEACH GREENMARKET: Voted best farmers market in the United States, takes place on the Great Lawn along the city’s waterfront 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., providing locally grown fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, plants, and specialty products. Free parking available at city-managed garages until noon, COVID-19 precautions remain in place. Visit wpb.org/events.

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