Travel guide: jazzy June

Ebony, June, 2003 by Joy Bennett Kinnon

GRADUATIONS and Father's Day, blushing brides and nervous grooms, proms and promenades, parades and festivals and don't forget the last day of school--June is a smorgasbord of celebrations!

With good weather--finally--countrywide, June holds the promise of a fun summer season, when the young and the young at heart are looking forward to ice cream days and cool, breezy nights. This is a special time, so why not take dad out on his special day and surprise him by paying his way!

So for June fun, grab dad and head to some of these special events in your hometown.

ATLANTA

* Modern Free and Accepted Masons of the World convention. Hyatt-Regency Hotel. June 22-29.

* Real Men Cook for Charity. Georgia Railroad Depot. 3-6 p.m. June 15.

BALTIMORE

* National Newspaper Publishers Association annual convention. Wyndham Hotel. June 11-14.

CHICAGO

* 19h Annual Chicago Gospel Festival. Grant Park. June 6-8.

* Real Men Cook for Charity. South Side YMCA. 3-6 p.m. June 15.

* 23rd Annual Taste of Chicago. Grant Park. June 27-July 6.

CLEVELAND

* Power Networking 2nd Annual Networking Training Conference. Collaborating and Building Black Wealth and Resources. Cleveland Convention Center. June 19-22.

DALLAS

* Real Men Cook for Charity. Fair Park. 3-6 p.m. June 15.

DENVER

* Mayor Wellington E. Webb's Music Festival. Jazz and R&B acts headline the mayor's third annual festival. Red Rocks. June 7.

DETROIT

* Bal Africain. Annual gala supporting the DIAs African and African-American collections. Detroit Institute of Arts. June 14.

* Real Men Cook for Charity. Martin Luther King Senior High School. 3-6 p.m. June 15.

* Fireworks Day. Hart Plaza. June 25. Freedom Festival. June 27-29.

HOUSTON

* Amazing Grace: 150 Years of the African-American Spiritual Miller Outdoor Theater in Hermann Park. June 13-14.

* Real Men Cook for Charity. George Brown Convention Center. 3-6 p.m. June 15.

INDIANAPOLIS

* Black Coaches Association National Convention & Expo. Hyatt-Regency Hotel. June 5-8.

LAS VEGAS

* 100 Black Men of America convention. MGM Grand Hotel. June 4-8.

LOS ANGELES

* Real Men Cook for Charity. University of Southern California, Town and Gown Conference Services. 3-6 p.m. June 15.

MIAMI

* Real Men Cook for Charity. Joseph Caleb Center. 3-6 p.m. June 15.

* 7th Annual American Black Film Festival. Royal Palms and Loews Hotels. Film screenings, Regal Cinemas. June 18-22.

MILWAUKEE

* Summerfest. Henry Maier Festival Park. June 26-July 6.

* National Association of Minority Contractors convention. Hyatt-Regency Hotel. June 25-29.

NEW ORLEANS

* International Arts Festival. Featuring Caribbean music, this was formerly known as the Reggae Riddums Festival. Marconi Meadows, City Park. June 13-15.

* Real Men Cook for Charity. Morris FX Jeff Memorial Auditorium. 3-6 p.m. June 15.

NEW YORK CITY

* Real Men Cook for Charity. The Apollo Theater. 3-6 p.m. June 15.

* Music of the Masters: The Music of Herbie Nichols. Jazz at Lincoln Center, Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse. June 5-7.

PHILADELPHIA

* Real Men Cook for Charity. Adams Mark Hotel. 3-6 p.m. June 15.

* National Underground Railroad Family Reunion Festival. Three-day celebration, a first of its kind. Loews Hotel and various city sites. June 27-29.

SACRAMENTO, Calif.

* Bill Picket Rodeo. California State Fairgrounds. June 21-22.

ST. LOUIS

* Blues on the Mississippi. Jefferson Barracks County Park. June 6, 13, 20 & 27.

* U.S. Bank Saint Louis Jazz Festival. Shaw Park in Clayton, Missouri. June 20-21.

SAN FRANCISCO

* San Francisco Black Film Festival. Delancey Street Theater and other venues. June 11-15.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

* 11th Annual Capital Jazz Fest. Bull Run Park, Fairfax, Va. June 7-8.

* Real Men Cook for Charity. Blackburn Center, Howard University. 3-6 p.m. June 15.

* 4th Annual National Juneteenth Holiday Observance. National Mall, U.S. Capitol grounds and other venues. June 15-22.

* National Capital Barbeque Battle. Pennsylvania Avenue. June 21-22.

* D.C. Caribbean Carnival. Highlight is the annual parade on June 29 from noon-6 p.m. Various venues. June 22-30.

CANADA

* Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival. Nathan Phillips Square. June 20-29.

* Montreal International Jazz Festival. Various sites. June 26-July 6.

ISLAND DESTINATIONS:

JAMAICA

* Ocho Rios Jazz Festival 2003. Various island venues. June 8-15.

ST. KITTS

* 7th Annual St. Kitts Music Festival. Features DMX, Wyclef Jean, Eve, Shaggy, Ashanti and Jeff fery Osbourne, among others. Historic Fort Thomas grounds. June 26-29.

U.S. VIRGIN ISLAND

* Father's Day Trailwalk and Picnic Supper. St. Croix Landmark Society. June 15.

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