Carnival of Soul

The August Wilson African American Cultural Center (AWACC) revealed the details for its annual Highmark Blues & Heritage Festival this morning, which will take place virtually on Sat., Oct. 3 from 12-6 p.m.

Curated by the AWACC, the lineup features Rhiannon Giddens, Toshi Reagon, Rev. Shawn Amos, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, go-go band Rare Essence, New Breed Brass Band, Deva Mahal, the Curtis Brothers Quartet, Eugene Morgan’s Blues Storie, and more.

This year is the first time the event will take place online, and it will be available to stream live on AWAACC’s YouTube, Facebook, and at blues.aaccawc.org.

“The Highmark Blues & Heritage Festival is about hope, roots, and the connections that music creates across races, neighborhoods, and beliefs, and as the blues inspired August Wilson, it continues to inspire listeners today and provides hope for tomorrow,” said Janis Burley Wilson, AWAACC President and CEO in a press release. Wilson launched the inaugural event in 2018 as a way to further AWAACC’s repertoire of programming, as blues was an integral part of August Wilson’s work.

“I’m incredibly grateful to Highmark Health for their partnership and support as we launch this year’s online festival,” Burley Wilson added, “enabling us to continue celebrating the blues, the artists who bring the music to life, and our dynamic community.”