- Theme: Empowering Our Chillun’ Through Education centers festival programming on education and cultural preservation.
- Featured artist Napoleon Wilkerson provides authentic paintings used as the festival's marketing backdrop.
- Musical highlights include Candice Glover, Savannah State University Wesleyan Gospel and Concert Choirs, and blues by Brett Barnard and The Hit Man Band.
- Local vendors and demonstrations showcase authentic Gullah Geechee cuisine, quilting, basket weaving, testimonials, and other cultural presentations.
The David Boles Foundation will co-host the fifth annual Gullah Geechee Festival supported by the City of Richmond Hill. This festival highlights the culture (food, music, religion, societal norms, etc.) of the local descendants of the local rice plantations. The Geechees are the formerly enslaved people in Georgia. The name is derived from the Ogeechee River.
The festival will take place at J. F. Gregory Park on March 28, from noon until 6 p.m.. Please bring your lawn chairs so that you may sit as you enjoy the presentations and performances that will take place on the stage.
The event has many layers. This year’s theme is “Empowering Our Chillun’ Through Education”. Napoleon Wilkerson is the featured artist. A native Savannahian, Wilkerson’s authentic paintings have been commissioned for this festival and will be used as the backdrop for marketing materials. Local vendors will provide authentic Gullah Geechee cuisine. live music, testimonials, quilting, basket weaving, and many other historical and cultural presentations. Savannah State University is the central focus of this year’s festival. Savannah State University, Georgia’s First Public Historically Black College & University (HBCU), educated the children of the early Gullah Geechees of our area. Candice Glover, American Idol winner, will perform along with the Savannah State University’s Wesleyan Gospel Choir and Concert Choir. Richmond Hill native, Brett Barnard, and The Hit Man Band will perform blues selections.
The David Boles Foundation is a local nonprofit whose mission is “to support a healthy community by promoting educational, recreational, and spiritual solutions.” The Gullah Geechee Festival is directly aligned with the mission. Richmond Hill lies within the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. The City of Richmond Hill is proud to celebrate diversity as they celebrate their lifelong citizens.
The event committee is soliciting sponsors to promote this event. Please contact David Boles Foundation at davidbolesfoundation@gmail.com or (912) 713-3773 for questions about levels of sponsorships and other questions.
