Anacostia River Festival celebrates African Diaspora culture

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People flocked to Anacostia Park on May 17 for the 11th annual Anacostia River Festival, celebrating the African Diaspora.

The festival included live musical performances, a curated marketplace, and historical exhibitions, aimed to honor and uplift the many cultures that shape the Black experience in Washington, D.C.

The annual festival, with this year’s theme “Sankofa on the River: Bridging Legacies,” was organized by 11th Street Bridge Park.

<img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" data-attachment-id="1230359" data-permalink="https://www.washingtoninformer.com/anacostia-river-festival-cultural-celebration/image-11722/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-57.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1" data-orig-size="1200,800" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"13","credit":"","camera":"X-T4","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1747514672","copyright":"","focal_length":"36.8","iso":"1600","shutter_speed":"0.003125","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="image" data-image-description=" Go-Go Band TOB Experience performs during the Anacostia River Festival. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

" data-image-caption=" Go-Go Band TOB Experience performs during the Anacostia River Festival. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-57.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-57.jpg?fit=780%2C520&ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" data-id="1230359" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-57.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1" alt="Go-Go Band TOB Experience performs during the Anacostia River Festival. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)" class="wp-image-1230359" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-57.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-57.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-57.jpg?resize=150%2C100&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-57.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-57.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-57.jpg?resize=400%2C267&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-57.jpg?resize=706%2C471&ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-57.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-57-1024x683.jpg?w=370&ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px"/> Go-Go Band TOB Experience performs during the Anacostia River Festival. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

<img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" data-attachment-id="1230360" data-permalink="https://www.washingtoninformer.com/anacostia-river-festival-cultural-celebration/image-11723/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-58.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1" data-orig-size="1200,800" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"11","credit":"","camera":"X-T4","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1747513671","copyright":"","focal_length":"18","iso":"1000","shutter_speed":"0.003125","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="image" data-image-description=" Dance and martial arts performers from CapoeiraDC promote the Afro-Brazilian martial art of capoeira. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

" data-image-caption=" Dance and martial arts performers from CapoeiraDC promote the Afro-Brazilian martial art of capoeira. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-58.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-58.jpg?fit=780%2C520&ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" data-id="1230360" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-58.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1" alt="Dance and martial arts performers from CapoeiraDC promote the Afro-Brazilian martial art of capoeira. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)" class="wp-image-1230360" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-58.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-58.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-58.jpg?resize=150%2C100&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-58.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-58.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-58.jpg?resize=400%2C267&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-58.jpg?resize=706%2C471&ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-58.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-58-1024x683.jpg?w=370&ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px"/> Dance and martial arts performers from CapoeiraDC promote the Afro-Brazilian martial art of capoeira. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

<img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" data-attachment-id="1230364" data-permalink="https://www.washingtoninformer.com/anacostia-river-festival-cultural-celebration/image-11724/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-59.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1" data-orig-size="1200,800" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"8","credit":"","camera":"X-T4","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1747513735","copyright":"","focal_length":"24.5","iso":"1000","shutter_speed":"0.003125","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="image" data-image-description=" A father and daughter participate in the Think B4U Move Chess Challenge. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

" data-image-caption=" A father and daughter participate in the Think B4U Move Chess Challenge. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-59.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-59.jpg?fit=780%2C520&ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" data-id="1230364" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-59.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1" alt="A father and daughter participate in the Think B4U Move Chess Challenge. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)" class="wp-image-1230364" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-59.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-59.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-59.jpg?resize=150%2C100&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-59.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-59.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-59.jpg?resize=400%2C267&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-59.jpg?resize=706%2C471&ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-59.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-59-1024x683.jpg?w=370&ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px"/> A father and daughter participate in the Think B4U Move Chess Challenge. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

<img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" data-attachment-id="1230365" data-permalink="https://www.washingtoninformer.com/anacostia-river-festival-cultural-celebration/image-11725/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-60.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1" data-orig-size="1200,800" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"16","credit":"","camera":"X-T4","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1747513996","copyright":"","focal_length":"26.4","iso":"1000","shutter_speed":"0.003125","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="image" data-image-description=" 11th Street Bridge Park Deputy Director Jessica G. Smith Lennan (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

" data-image-caption=" 11th Street Bridge Park Deputy Director Jessica G. Smith Lennan (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-60.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-60.jpg?fit=780%2C520&ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" data-id="1230365" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-60.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1" alt="11th Street Bridge Park Deputy Director Jessica G. Smith Lennan (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)" class="wp-image-1230365" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-60.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-60.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-60.jpg?resize=150%2C100&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-60.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-60.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-60.jpg?resize=400%2C267&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-60.jpg?resize=706%2C471&ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-60.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-60-1024x683.jpg?w=370&ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px"/> 11th Street Bridge Park Deputy Director Jessica G. Smith Lennan (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

<img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" data-attachment-id="1230366" data-permalink="https://www.washingtoninformer.com/anacostia-river-festival-cultural-celebration/image-11726/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-61.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1" data-orig-size="1200,800" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"9","credit":"","camera":"X-T4","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1747514573","copyright":"","focal_length":"18","iso":"1600","shutter_speed":"0.003125","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="image" data-image-description=" Children interact with wildlife alongside members of Earth Conservation Corps, a nonprofit, youth development and environmental service organization. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

" data-image-caption=" Children interact with wildlife alongside members of Earth Conservation Corps, a nonprofit, youth development and environmental service organization. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-61.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-61.jpg?fit=780%2C520&ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" data-id="1230366" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-61.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1" alt="Children interact with wildlife alongside members of Earth Conservation Corps, a nonprofit, youth development and environmental service organization. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)" class="wp-image-1230366" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-61.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-61.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-61.jpg?resize=150%2C100&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-61.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-61.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-61.jpg?resize=400%2C267&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-61.jpg?resize=706%2C471&ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-61.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-61-1024x683.jpg?w=370&ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px"/> Children interact with wildlife alongside members of Earth Conservation Corps, a nonprofit, youth development and environmental service organization. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

<img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" data-attachment-id="1230367" data-permalink="https://www.washingtoninformer.com/anacostia-river-festival-cultural-celebration/image-11727/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-62.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1" data-orig-size="1200,800" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"13","credit":"","camera":"X-T4","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1747515634","copyright":"","focal_length":"21.7","iso":"1600","shutter_speed":"0.003125","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="image" data-image-description=" D.C. resident Elijah (right) poses with his mother and younger brother. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

" data-image-caption=" D.C. resident Elijah (right) poses with his mother and younger brother. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-62.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-62.jpg?fit=780%2C520&ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" data-id="1230367" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-62.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1" alt="D.C. resident Elijah (right) poses with his mother and younger brother. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)" class="wp-image-1230367" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-62.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-62.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-62.jpg?resize=150%2C100&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-62.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-62.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-62.jpg?resize=400%2C267&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-62.jpg?resize=706%2C471&ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-62.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/www.washingtoninformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image-62-1024x683.jpg?w=370&ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px"/> D.C. resident Elijah (right) poses with his mother and younger brother. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer) Join the Washington Informer Family!

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Tagged: Anacostia Park , Anacostia River Festival , CapoeiraDC , Earth Conservation Corps , Elijah , Ja'Mon Jackson , Jessica G. Smith Lennan , Sankofa on the River: Bridging Legacies , TOB Experience