More than ten-thousand people are expected to attend a cultural festival in Des Moines today (Saturday) called “I’ll Make Me A World In Iowa.” Organizer Betty Andrews says it’ll be the largest African-American event in Iowa history and one focus is on music. Andrews says there will be three stages for constant entertainment featuring Iowa performers with drill teams, blues, jazz, hip-hop, gospel, spoken word and poetry. She says the event will be held in the Polk County Convention Complex this year as it outgrew the Iowa Historical Building last year, with people standing “shoulder to shoulder.”
Andrews says there will be a host of educational activities. She says there will be plenty of soul food and a popular exhibit on successful black doctors and inventors, in addition to a series of health screenings. Andrews says those screenings are designed to raise awareness, if not to help save lives. Andrews says there are many diseases that are prevalent in the African-American community so experts from area hospitals will be there to help detect some of those problems and get the people treatment. Admission to the event is free. For more information, call (515) 288-7171 or surf to “www.worldiniowa.org”.