It's CLOSED!!!

Every two years the National Black Theatre Festival brings performances, workshops, vendors, poetry slams, and people from all over the country together to experience the power of Black Theatre.  Winston-Salem has been the host of this wonderful festival for 20 years and home to the National Black Reportoire Company for 30 years. The theme of this year's festival is 20/30 vision, relating to the 20 and 30 years of the festival and company's history.  The festival brings many famous black actors and a lot of business to the city of Winston-Salem.  The crowd is one of culture, afrocentrism, and class; ones that appreciate the arts and those that are hoping to be seen.  

I went to two very intimate shows and experienced downtown Winston-Salem's art offerings in the way of the many galleries and shops around the 6th and Trade Street Arts District.  I experienced the night life and parlayed in the bars on 4th and 6th Streets.

The festival is well monitored by local officials and volunteers.  Even after Larry Leon Hamlin's (founder of the NBTF and actor) death; the festival maintains its stature.

The festival is a fun, positive environment for those who visit and take part.  The downfall of the festival happens to be the one entity that does not even contribute to the overall festival atmosphere; the YOUTH of Winston-Salem.  While many children share this experience with their parents, because there is rarely any opportunities for the youth of the city to enjoy festivals of this type; they use these times as there moments to raise Hell!!!

At 12:30 am, on my way to the host hotel to here the celebratory end of the festival African drummers, my friends and I were abruptly redirected to another street to continue downtown. "No problem" We said. However it was a problem. As we later found out, we were really being redirected out of downtown since "It was closed," as one of the 7 police officers told us.  Downtown was closed due to the large number of adolescent fights that broke out downtown, coincidentally where the Festival activities were going on.  

I can't for the life of me begin to understand why the city has not instituted a curfew when these kinds of festivals come to town.  If the city deemed five officers per block sufficient to deal with the rowdy crowds, then surely they recognize a need to rid the festival of troublemakers and those not there to enjoy the festivities.

Go to www.wschronicle.com to read articles about the Festivals and see pictures.