Celebrate Spring and African American Culture at the 2023 Pinkster Festival
There are so many outdoor festivals happening in Westchester County this spring. With music, dance, food, and festivities, they are great way to enjoy the beautiful landscape while also supporting the community and great causes. One that is on our radar is the 2023 Pinkster Festival at Philipsburg Manor. Held on May 27th from 10:00am-5:00pm, “The Pinkster Festival: Remembrance and Renewal” event features music, dance, drumming, and crafts and food inspired by Black culture.
Pinkster, originally a Dutch observance of the Pentecost, was by the 1800s in New York recognized as a joyous, festive African American holiday celebrating the arrival of spring.
Held at Philipsburg Manor, the Pinkster Festival will honor and celebrate African American history and culture and look forward into a vibrant future with live performances, drumming, spoken word, dancers, singing, storytelling, food, and hands-on art activities.
Performances include Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Maurice “Mobetta” Brown, renowned vocalist Imani Uzuri, spoken word artist Malik Work, krump dancers HallowDreamz, master African drummer Maxwell Kofi Donkor, and storyteller Joy Kelly. In the site’s historic barn, DJ GoodWill will perform a live set complete with immersive images. Families will also have the opportunity to make Adinkra stamps, shekeres, and flower crowns, and enjoy tasty treats inspired by African cuisine.
“The Pinkster celebration is a beloved Historic Hudson Valley tradition. Throughout the decades, Pinkster has supported our mission to lift up the memory of the enslaved community at Philipsburg Manor and commemorate their perseverance and their contributions to our nation,” explained Dr. Elizabeth Bradley, vice president of programs and engagement for Historic Hudson Valley. “This year, we invited the gifted poet and playwright Malik Work to curate Pinkster for the 21st century. He has transformed our event into a joyful spring festival of music, dance, stories and song, featuring an array of Black artists whose extraordinary work reminds us that Black history is American history.”
2023 Pinkster Festival Program:
- Malik Work, spoken word artist and founder of The Real Live Show
- Maurice Brown, Grammy-winning trumpeter
- DJ GoodWill
- Maxwell Kofi Donkor, master African drummer
- Joy Kelly, storyteller
- HallowDreamz, krump dancers
- Imani Uzuri, vocalist and founder of Revolutionary Choir
The event is curated by Malik Work, an accomplished actor and theater artist and a founding member of the groundbreaking jazz/hip hop group, The Real Live Show. He previously collaborated with the Historic Hudson Valley on an original piece of poetry for the award-winning interactive documentary, People Not Property.
“As a native of the New York region, I am deeply honored to help curate, celebrate, educate folks about, and propagate the Pinkster tradition, in the very spirit of remembrance and renewal,” said Malik.
2023 Pinkster Festival Details:
May 27th from 10:00am-5:00pm
Philipsburg Manor
381 North Broadway (Route 9)
Sleepy Hollow, NY
Admission is $14 for adults; $12 for seniors and young adults 18-25; free for children under 17 and for Historic Hudson Valley members.
For additional information and tickets, please visit hudsonvalley.org
