Freedom Fest "Party in the park" flier. Credit: Photo courtesy of Black Artist Collective.

If there’s one thing Kanischa Miller and Black Artists Collective feel people need now more than ever it’s a reason to laugh.

That’s why Freedom Fest, an annual event put on by BAC, will feature comedians, alongside DJs and a mini pop-up market. 

Miller, who has been part of BAC for a year, brought the idea of including comedy to BAC, she said. Her own business, Niche Production, is helping BAC put on Freedom Fest. Niche Production is a Syracuse-based organization that promotes and supports talent through events and initiatives.

“The Black Artists collective had been doing these festivals for a few years, and it just felt like a natural next step to partner with them on this,” Miller said. 

This year’s Freedom Fest marks the fourth iteration of the event. The free event takes place this Saturday at the Thornden Park Amphitheater from noon to 6 p.m.

The event takes place during Black August, a tradition started in the 1970s by freedom fighters who wanted to honor Black resilience and liberation and to acknowledge the contributions of Black activists.

Guests can expect to see performances by comedians and DJs. There will also be a mini pop-up market for guests to support local vendors. Armauni Allen, a Syracuse native known as DJ Jett, will be performing at the celebration.

For Allen, who grew up on the East Side and relocated to Buffalo nearly a decade ago, the event’s location holds sentimental value. Allen used to hang out and play little league football at Thornden Park, he said. 

When Allen was growing up, he didn’t see many similar events that celebrate Black art communities in the Central New York region and the state.

“(Between) here and Buffalo, there’s not many Black Artists Collectives that come together and do a nice uniformed event, so I wanted to take the opportunity to do so,” Allen said. 

This year’s Freedom Fest was inspired by a pop-up comedy show Miller attended in Prospect Park in Brooklyn called Fool’s Circle. Miller admired the event’s unity and free access. 

She wanted to replicate the experience of hanging out in a city’s green space, she said. Hosting the event at Thornden Park was intentional. She highlighted the importance of Black people reclaiming space in their neighborhoods and nature.  

“I think over time it has felt less and less comfortable to be a Black person in this park or in this space,” Miller said. “This is sort of an act of reclaiming space, reclaiming our right to nature. We all pay taxes to fund these parks, so it’s important that we get to utilize these services because they are for our benefit as well.”

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Yolanda Stewart was raised in the Bronx, New York City. Before choosing a career path in journalism she found a voice in writing plays, short stories, and a myriad of other creative outlets. She is a 2022...