The Festival, the largest event held in Seattle’s African American community, will take place this weekend, July 15 – 17, at the Franklin High School Playfield on the corner of Rainier Ave. S. and Martin Luther King, Jr. Way South. During the three-day festival, area residents experience the best of soul food, arts, cultural activities, hip-hop, soul, drama acts and gospel groups. The annual Gen. John Stanford/Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Parade brought to you by the Washington State Department of Health will take place this Saturday, July 16 at 12 noon. The Grand Marshall for this year’s parade is Dr. Maxine Hayes Maxine Hayes, MD, MPH, is the state health officer for the Washington State Department of Health. The parade also features an electrifying line-up of drill teams in the area, local businesses, community service organizations, and dignitaries from the Greater Seattle area. “It’s always good to see the young men and women on the drill teams perform, but they always seem to give a little extra when they perform in front of their family and friends at the Soul Fest Parade,” said Seattle Medium co-publisher/editor Chris B. Bennett. “They definitely bring their A-game and really set the tone for all of the other parade participants.” This year also marks the return of the Soul Festival Step Competition, where local drill/step teams and dance groups will compete for bragging rights and $1,000 in cash prizes. In 2003, The Electronette Hi- Steppers won the competition and earned local bragging rights. Again this year the title is up for grabs and host of teams are eager to take the title home. “We had the step show two years ago and it was such a tremendous success that we had to bring it back. The community demanded it,” said Chris H. Bennett, chairman of The Seattle Medium Newspaper Group and Kris Bennett Broadcasting. “This year we have even more groups competing, so it’s sure to be one to remember.” This year the Soul Fest Committee has lined up many local and national acts on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with a wide variety of live bands, funk, Rhythm and Blues, and Hip Hop acts to choose from. Including Sunday’s Gospel Explosion at Soul Fest is set to be one of the biggest gospel events in the city. This year’s line-up includes groups, solos, choirs, and others ready to show their passion for the Christ. Kicking it all off Sunday morning will be Church In The Park featuring Pastor Henry Jenkins and Miracle Temple Church of God In Christ. Then festival-goers will be treated to an afternoon full of great gospel, including both traditional and contemporary music, and genres in between. The hosts for the Gospel Explosion will be Heaven Bound Train Gospel Announcers Frank Walton and Rev. Jackie Jackson and Deacon John Capps, Mount Zion Baptist Church of Seattle. “We are going to have lots of talent both young and old,” said Rev. Ruth Saunders, coordinator for the Soul Fest 2005 Gospel Explosion. “We expect people to come out and just have plain old fun. We’re going to have fun praising the Lord and God will work miracles in the midst of us.” “We’re going to break it wide open at 11 a.m. with Miracle Temple and keep rolling right through the day,” she added. Soul Fest will officially begin Friday afternoon with lots of good entertainment, food, carnival rides, and much, much more. With so much planned for this year’s festival, there’s no place you’d rather be than the Franklin High School Playfield for all three days of Soul Fest 2005.
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