Hundreds of artists are expected to gather in Charlotte over three days this weekend for a festival that aims to spotlight the city's diverse artists and culture.
About 400 artists will take part in the ninth annual ‘Boom Charlotte’ Festival. They’ll showcase a range of performances, including African dance and spoken word poetry. Manoj Kesavan is behind the festival. He says the festival will feature diverse performers such as the Southern Eagle, a Native American group.
“We are constantly on the lookout for who’s missing on the scene and how can we make them feel a part of the community,” Kesavan said.
The BOOM Charlotte festival started in 2016, initially in the Plaza Midwood neighborhood before moving to the University City area. The festival has become one of the city's largest, drawing thousands. Camerin Watson is the festival’s artistic director. Watson says it's vital that art is accessible to all communities.
“Art should be part of the fabric of life, ” Watson said. “It should be something that you can come across and that you don't have to put on fancy clothes and pay a lot of money for parking and go uptown only, right? That it should exist within our communities.
The festival starts on Friday and runs through Sunday.
