May: what's happening where?

Ebony, May, 2007 by Joy T. Bennett

ATLANTA

Sweet Auburn SpringFest 2007. One of the largest family reunions and street festivals. Auburn Avenue. May 11-13. For more info contact: www.sweetauburn.com 30th Atlanta Jazz Festival. Features top entertainers, an artist market and children's activities. Piedmont Park. May 27-29. Atlanta Wings Festival. Features samplings and musical entertainment. Downtown Atlanta on Peachtree Street. May 5-6. Contact info: www.atlantawingsfestival.com

BALTIMORE

Meditations on African Art: Color. The second exhibition in a three-part series exploring light, color and pattern in the Baltimore Museum of Art's distinguished collection of African Art. Through Aug. 19. Contact info: www.artbma.org

BATON ROUGE, LA.

National Conference of Black Mayors convention. Hilton Baton Rouge Hotel. May 2-6.

BEAUFORT, S.C.

2007 Gullah Festival Celebration of the rich Sea Island Gullah heritage. Northern end of the Waterfront Park and various venues. May 25-27.

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

National Organization of Black County Officials convention. Omni Downtown Hotel. May 17-20.

CHARLESTON, S.C.

31st Anniversary Spoleto Festival USA 2007. Festival activities and entertainment run the gamut from opera to arts and crafts. Various venues. May 25-June 10.

CHICAGO

Coalition of Black Trade Unionists convention. Hyatt Regency-Chicago. May 23-28. Goodman Theatre's 2007 Red & Black Ball. Diahann Carroll headlines. Fairmont Hotel. May 19.

CLEVELAND

Annual Great American Rib Cook-Off. Tower City Amphitheater. May 25-29.

DALLAS

Black Thinkers: From Table to Action--A Cultural Discourse. Black Academy of Arts and Letters. May 5. 21 st Texas Black Invitational Rodeo. Largest Black rodeo in the country with more than 400 Black cowboys and cowgirls competing for prize money. Fair Park Coliseum. May 26.

DETROIT

Julius X. Play. Plowshares Theater Company. Boll Family YMCA Theatre. May 17-June 10.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.

Mother's Day Weekend Brunch. Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. World Showplace. May 13.

LOS ANGELES

The Rowell Foster Children's Positive Plan Tea. Beverly Hills Hotel. May 20. 21st Annual UCLA JazzReggae Festival. Drake Stadium. May 27-28.

LOUISVILLE, Ky.

The National Bowling Association Convention. Gait House Hotel. May 18-26.

MEMPHIS. Term.

Beale St. Music Festival. Music from more than 60 artists on four stages. May 4-6. 28th W.C. Handy Awards Weekend. Memphis Cook Convention Center. May 10.

NEW YORK CITY

The 12th Annual Essentially Ellington Concert. Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center. May 6. 30 years of DanceAfrica: Remember! Honor! Respect! A lively and diverse festival of African and African-American dance, music, film and art. Brooklyn Academy of Music. May 25-27.

NORFOLK, Va.

AFR'AM Fest. African-American festival. Town Point Park. May 26-28.

PHILADELPHIA

The Black Arts Movement. Annual celebration of Black writing. Art Sanctuary. May 25-26. Jam on the River. Annual outdoor festival. Penn's Landing. May 27-28.

RICHMOND, Va.

Urban Financial Services Coalition convention. Richmond Omni Hotel. May 28-June 2.

ST. LOUIS

Annie Malone Parade & May Day Celebrations. Founder of the Annie Malone Children's Home and one of the first Black millionaires in the nation is celebrated with a parade and a series of social events. Annual Gospel Musical Celebration, May 19. Annual May Day Parade, May 20.

SAN FRANCISCO

Spunk: 3 Tales by Zora Neale Hurston. Play. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. May 3-27.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

12th Annual Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival. Terrace Theater, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. May 10-12.

WILLIAMSBURG Va.

America's Anniversary Weekend. 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown. May 11-13.

ISLAND DESTINATIONS

ARUBA

Soul Beach Music Festival. Various venues. May 23-28.

BARBADOS

The Barbados Gospelfest. Various venues. May 1927. Contact info: www.barbadosgospelfest.com

BONAIRE.

The Bonaire Heineken Jazz & Salsa Festival. Various venues. May 17-20.

ST. LUCIA

St. Lucia Jazz Festival. Confirmed artists include John Legend, Al Jarreau, George Benson, Will Downing, Natalie Cole and Isaac Hayes, among others. Various venues. May 4-13. Contact info: www.stluciajazz.org

NOTE: Sponsors may change dates or locations after the magazine has been published. Travelers should verify event information with local sponsors.