BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — A two-day festival celebrating Black artists and creatives kicked off a day early with a brand new symposium in Boston Thursday.
The fifth annual Boston Arts & Music Soul (BAMS) Festival held its inaugural BAMS CONX conference at Berklee College of Music, with musicians, singers, artists, and educators taking part in panel discussions, master classes, and workshops.
The conference serves as a prelude to the festival itself running Friday evening and all day Saturday at Franklin Park. Festival organizers told WBZ NewsRadio that the multi-generational event will have two music stages, 25 food trucks, 50-60 small business vendors, beer and wine gardens, a kids zone, and more.
According to BAMS Fest Managing Director Paul Willis, the goal of the festival is to "break down racial, social, and economic barriers for Black and Brown artists right here in Boston and beyond."
"We hope to be everywhere in this city," Willis added. "Amplifying Black voices, perspectives, creating opportunities for creatives to have equity and ownership stake in their own careers."
Headlining this year's festival are Maimouna Youssef and Zyah Belle on Friday, and Grandmaster Flash, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Kevin Ross on Saturday.
Tickets, a festival map, full event schedule, and more can be found on the BAMS Fest website.
WBZ's Kim Tunnicliffe (@KimWBZ) reports.
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