2023 Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival

This year’s festival features a contemporary jazz trio, a seminar on mental health, and a career workshop for kids.

Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park

MusicFest takes over the massive park every year.

Photo via City of Tampa

Each year, the Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival brings together national and local creatives, speakers, and performers for a variety of community events — all with the hope of sharing African and African-American culture and history. This year’s festival has already begun and runs through the end of January.

  • Leadership luncheon with Dr. Micah Johnson | Wednesday, Jan. 11 | 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
    Sociologist Dr. Micah Johnson presents on mental health, specifically addressing the stigma of mental health, self care and mental wellbeing. Individual tickets are $25, and groups of eight can buy tables for $240. The luncheon is located at the University Area Community Development Center ( 14013 N. 22nd St., Tampa)
  • Tampa Bay Black Heritage MusicFest |Saturday, Jan. 14 + Sunday, Jan. 15 | Gates open at noon
    The 23rd year of the festival’s music festival features performances from Nathan Mitchell, DJ Grandmaster Dee, and headliners contemporary jazz trio ‘Jazz Funk Soul,’ and R&B masters ‘Dru Hill.’ Gates at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park open at noon. Tickets start at $15 online.
  • College and Career Conversations | Saturday, Jan. 28 |10 a.m.-1 p.m.
    Panelists will present strategies for making the most of the future. Plus, middle schools and high school students from across Tampa Bay can bring their resumes for review + learn how to pitch themselves. The event will be held at Tampa Hillsborough Action Plan Inc. (5508 N. 50th St., Tampa)

Read more about the nonprofit and the events online.

More from TBAYtoday
The Florida Aquarium is celebrating the upcoming World Penguin Day with a free meet-and-greet with their tuxedo-ed crew.
What do you do on vacation? You can do those same things here.
And that’s not all: Hillsborough just opened a new call center to help residents apply for grants, and a downtown Tampa park reopened.
We’re sharing the lineup for this fall’s country music and barbecue festival at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park.
Check out some of the coolest, most unique Airbnb and Vrbo rentals around Tampa Bay, FL and plan for your next adventure or staycation.
Ybor’s final operating cigar factory is fully restoring the century-old Sanchez Y Haya building across the street into a new inn, restaurant, and cigar lounge.
We’re talking parking, shade, dining options, and all the other tea.
The festival is back — at its new home within Water Street Tampa — with huge headliners like Mt. Joy and Gov’t Mule.
Take a peek at the Rays’ new-yet-old digs, complete with new luxury clubs, a speakeasy, and the Cownose Clubhouse.
The Florida Aquarium won’t need to evacuate its crew the next time devastating storm surge is forecast for the Tampa Bay area.