Harlem Week is a Black August celebration of Black culture in one of America’s most vibrant African American communities.
The Harlem Renaissance during the Jazz Age of the 1920s-30s defined American culture. It happened here and is happening again in the latest blooming of the Black Arts which we call the Harlem Renaissance 3.0. The Harlem Renaissance 2.0 was the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s-70s. A lot of who we are as Americans started here, once upon a time, in Harlem.
The highlight of Harlem Week is “A Great Day in Harlem,” a family street fair of Harlem culture with entertainment at the General Grant National Memorial.
51st Harlem Week 2025
The 51st Harlem Week 2025 festival of Harlem culture is across Harlem, Manhattan; from August 1-17, 2025.
These are some of the highlights.
NYC Summer Streets car-free street festival celebrates Harlem Week on East 110th St between Park Avenue and Broadway, and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd between 110th St and 125th St in Harlem, Manhattan; on Saturdays, August 2, 9, and 16, 2025, from 7am – 3pm. FREE 🗽
The Uptown Night Market street fair of international cuisine celebrates Harlem Week; at 12th Avenue and 131st St; on Thursday, August 7, 2025, from 4-10pm. FREE with food for purchase.
Harlem Week’s “Great Jazz on the Great Hill” features live music and swing dancing to the Jazzmobile; at the Great Hill in Central Park; on Saturday, August 9, 2025, from 4-7pm. Bring your dancing shoes. FREE.
Harlem Week’s “A Great Day in Harlem” features a Gospel Caravan, a Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute presentation, and a concert saluting Kool & the Gang and Roberta Flack as part of family street fair at the General Grant National Memorial in Riverside Park in Morningside Heights, Manhattan; on Sunday, August 10, 2025, from 12noon – 7pm. FREE.
The Uptown Night Market street fair of international cuisine celebrates Harlem Week; at 12th Avenue and 131st St; on Thursday, August 14, 2025, from 4-10pm. FREE with food for purchase.
Harlem SummerStage features live entertainment at the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Building in Harlem, Manhattan; on Thursday, August 14, 2025, from 5-7pm. FREE.
50th Harlem Week 2024
Harlem
The 50th Harlem Week 2024 celebrates Black culture in and around Harlem, Manhattan; for two weeks from August 3-18, 2024. FREE. 🇺🇸
Central Park
Harlem Week’s Great Jazz on the Great Hill brings jazz to the Great Hill in Central Park; on Saturday, August 10, 2024, from 4-7pm. This is a Jazzmobile picnic concert with live music for swing dancing. The nearest street entrance is on Central Park West at 106th St. FREE Google Maps
Central Park was an African American neighborhood before it was developed into a city park.
Morningside Heights
A Great Day in Harlem (Harlem Day) brings Harlem Week to the Ulysses S. Grant National Memorial in Riverside Park in Morningside Heights; on Sunday, August 11, 2024, from 12-7pm. FREE. 🇺🇸
There are lots of activities including Summer Streets, Uptown Night Market, SummerStage, a 5K Run/Walk and Children’s Run, Jazz on the Great Hill, a film festival, a bookmobile, a Broadway Summit, Children’s Festival, job fair, and many talks and workshops. The entire community comes together.
Harlem Week
This tradition started in 1974 as Harlem Day to bring hope at a time when New York City was falling apart from deindustrialization after World War II. 1977 was the bottom and then New York City started to recover. Harlem Week’s original purpose, to uplift and unite the Harlem community, is more important than ever.
The list of co-founders reads like a list of heroes including Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, Harry Belafonte, Ornette Coleman, Tito Puente, Charles Rangel and more. The first Harlem Day renamed Seventh Avenue as Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd.
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