The 33rd annual Nubian Jam fills Forest Park with live music, a DJ, an open mic competition, Black art displays, a marketplace of Black-owned businesses, and a ceremony honoring Black high school educators and graduates on Saturday, July 25.
The Snohomish County Black Heritage Committee, the Everett-based nonprofit that has organized the festival since the mid-1990s, is also staging a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, a fashion showcase, youth activities, and food vendors across the park, according to a KBCS event listing published in July.
DanVonique Bletson-Reed, president of the committee and a Marysville resident who received the Lift Every Legacy Beloved Community Award earlier this year for her advocacy work in Snohomish County, described the event's purpose in a June press release: "Simply put, the Nubian Jam is a celebration. It's a celebration of who we are as Black people. The event is a place where we can be free, let our hair down, and express ourselves."
At last year's 32nd edition, Bletson-Reed danced with community members during a second line parade honoring Marylin Quincy, according to the Everett Herald.
The committee puts on the Nubian Jam in partnership with the City of Everett's Parks and Recreation Department, according to the Washington State Commission on African American Affairs. KBCS describes the festival as one of the longest-running community celebrations in Snohomish County, drawing families, artists, musicians, and neighbors each summer.
What to know if you're going:
- When: Saturday, July 25, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Where: Forest Park, 802 E. Mukilteo Blvd., Everett
- Cost: Free
- Highlights: Live music, DJ, open mic competition, Black art displays, Black-owned business marketplace, 3-on-3 basketball tournament, youth activities, food vendors, ceremony honoring Black high school educators and graduates
- More info: nubianjam.com or contact the Snohomish County Black Heritage Committee at (425) 583-7739 or [email protected]
