The ultimate family reunion fun guide

Ebony, August, 2004

HISTORICALLY, the traditional Black family reunion has excelled at keeping the roots and branches of the family tree grounded and connected--and now more reunion planners are turning this annual celebration into an all-out family festival.

Almost gone are the days of wearing matching T-shirts and meeting at the local park at a last minute's notice. Today's family reunion organizations plan the annual event up to two years in advance.

Almost gone are the days of asking Uncle Joe to lend you a few bucks; today, many family reunion organizations have scholarships and emergency funds set aside for family members.

Almost gone are the days of listening to the rumors of war vets and even celebrities you could possibly be related to. Today's family reunion organizations have designated various genealogy committees to research your family's roots.

And almost gone are the days of allowing the children to run wild, while the adults impatiently wait for the traditional "entertainment"--aka their turn to dance down the impromptu "Soul Train" line, or to play their hand at the card table. Today's family reunion organizations have activity itineraries for the young and the young at heart. Some have upped the ante quite a bit as families all across the country accentuate the annual reunion's tangy barbeque, rhythmic beats and down-home banter with professional catering, live bands, troupe performances and even family reunion themes.

Noted genealogist Donna Beasley says many families are really going above and beyond to plan this year's activities because, for many, the family reunion is considered the annual vacation.

"Many people aren't traveling abroad as much anymore, so being connected to the family has become more important to them," Beasley explains. "There are more people putting on family reunions, there are just hundreds of thousands of them every year, and for many, it's a cheaper vacation. Everybody can come, you can pile your kids up in the car, and you can go."

Here are a few suggestions to help you plan a "fun-tastic" family reunion that is sure to put your event into a league all by itself.

TAKE YOUR REUNION ON THE ROAD. Many Black families are moving the celebration out of their city limits and are hitting the open road--or open seas as many have reunion cruises--resulting in a booming tourism industry focused primarily on servicing African-American reunions, according to experts.

The National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners was formed to accommodate the growing number of African-American event and reunion planners, and in cities like Detroit, Chicago, Philadelphia, Memphis, Tallahassee and San Diego, special emphasis has been placed on hiring key African-American personnel to accommodate the growing Black family reunion market.

And the cities have benefitted.

In Atlanta, hundreds of family members flock to the Evergreen Conference Resort and Stone Mountain Park to take advantage of the complete family reunion packages.

In Dallas, the new $400 million Gaylord Resort is throwing a big Texas-style welcome to reunion planners; in Los Angeles, many family reunion-goers flocked to the 12th Annual Malcolm X festival, which included an all-star concert and international food tasting; and in Chicago, many families plan their reunions to coincide with the famous (and delicious) weeklong Taste of Chicago event. (While you're on the road, you can catch the EBONY Black Family Reunion Tour! Visit www.ebony.com for details on fun, food and free prizes!)

BE ALL-INCLUSIVE. You should plan activities that are age-appropriate for adults and for the children as well. A supervised nursery or play area with toys, snacks, scooters, board games, story time and even clowns would be ideal for toddlers. Teens may enjoy writing and performing family skits or throwing talent shows where they can win scholarships and other valuable prizes.

CHOOSE A THEME. The matching T-shirts are cute, but a salute to the 1970s (or the 1960s or the 1940s) could be more fun. You can instruct your kinfolk to come dressed in Afro wigs and bell-bottoms. Tell the DJ that the oldies but goodies--back when rhythm and blues still had its rhythm as some would argue--would be the order of the day. The '70s reunion would be a great opportunity for the old-schoolers to relive the good ole days and for the new-schoolers to get acquainted with the past. If you're not into disco, there are many, many themes to choose from, such as the fiesta reunion, complete with pinatas, enchiladas, quesadillas, burritos and colorful sombreros. Or perhaps you can select the African reunion, where you can wear colorful shirts, Bermuda shorts, grass skirts (for the children of course) and feast on roasted meat and pineapples. Select the Black History theme, where you can go back in time and celebrate the lives of your favorite Black icons, or even pay homage to your family matriarch or patriarch by transforming your meeting place to reflect their homestead and even eat the delicacies that were popular back then.