Bookerfest aims to uplift, educate and unite with Black cultural festival in Rockford

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A three-day celebration of Black culture, history and creativity returns this weekend to the historic African American Resource Center at Booker.

The nearly 100-year-old community center, 1005 S. Court St., will host Bookerfest 2025, “This Is Us” on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The event is free to attend.

The event includes live music daily — blues, gospel, jazz and classic R&B — as well as a variety of food and merchandise vendors, stage performances, hands-on educational workshops, and Black history panels that focus on the legacy of vital institutions including the Black-owned newspaper The Crusader. The event also includes a fashion show, carving demonstrations with Food Network star Lincoln Bias, game tournaments in spades and dominoes, and it closes with a Gospel Day for spiritual reflection and worship.

“It’s not just a festival, it’s an experience designed to uplift, educate and unite,” said Leon Smith, the volunteer event coordinator for Bookerfest 2025.

Smith said the event is a collaborative effort of church leaders, youth mentors, local historians, business owners and volunteers.

“We’re united by a shared mission to tell our story truthfully and share it with love,” he said. “We’re not just organizers — we see ourselves as curators of culture.

“We’re responsible for preserving our legacy and passing it down. This festival is for our elders, our children and our neighbors of every background who want to know more about who we are.”

There will also be the first Miss Bookerfest Pageant, which includes a four-week mentorship program led by pageant veteran Alyssa Tate.

“Our goal is to help young ladies understand the full pageant process while building confidence, public speaking skills, poise and a commitment to community service,” Smith said. “This isn’t just a pageant, it’s a stepping stone.”

The educational workshops will focus on things such as starting a business, writing a resume and preparing for work opportunities. Some of the other panels include insight into the history and modern relevance of Juneteenth led by Tommy Meeks, who has organized the local celebration for 35 years, and the legacy of “The Slave Bible” presented by the Rev. Roland Brown.

The Booker Washington Community Center’s history dates back to 1916, when it was established as a community center for Black soldiers during World Wars I and II. Bookerfest has been celebrated for years, but Smith said it’s taking a new direction this year with a more intentional focus on legacy, historical truth and youth empowerment.

“This Is Us means we take responsibility for telling our own story, but it also means we invite others to listen, learn and grow with us,” Smith said. “If we can do that, we’ll be doing more than hosting a festival — we’ll be planting something eternal.”

He said he hopes people of all races and walks of life come out for celebration and education, similar to how other ethnic festivals such as Festa Italiana and Polish Fest draw a diverse array of people to enjoy other cultures.

“Festa Italiana and all the other ethnic festivals that I go to, I had the opportunity be engrossed in their culture, taste their food and hear what needs to be said,” he said.  “I think that made me more appreciative of their culture because now I have an understanding. That’s what I’m hoping for here: Everybody is welcome.”

‘This Is Us’ | Bookerfest 2025

When: 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, July 18 and Saturday, July 19; 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 20

Where: African-American Resource Center at Booker, 1005 S. Court St., Rockford

Admission: Free

Complete schedule of events: Bookerfest.com

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas