Sacramento’s Banana Festival celebrates Harry Belafonte in its bid for a bounce-back
Sacramento’s Banana Festival doesn’t just offer plain bananas. There are banana empanadas, banana bread, banana bean pie, banana pudding and banana pancakes just to name a few of the other entries on the menu.
Organizers of the two-day event that ends Sunday in William Land Park also have high ambitions this year that visitors will come back in larger numbers to sample the food —and watch a tribute to Harry Belafonte — as they attempt to build back the festival.
Now in its 12th year, the festival drew more than 12,000 people before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last summer, the first festival in three years, only 6,000 attended.
“We hope to get back to our numbers,” said Alpha Bruton, a spokeswoman for the festival.
She said a fundraising goal of $50,000 has been set to benefit its sponsors, the National Academic Youth Corporation and the Sojourner Truth Museum in Sacramento.
Festival organizers aren’t the only groups that benefit. Community organizations also staff booths at the event, many aimed at engaging Sacramento’s African American community.
Pleshette Robinson, community engagement organizer of African American for Smoke Free Places, was talking to people Saturday about a campaign to push for laws banning smoking in rental communities.
She said her organization’s aim is to improve the health of the community through more smoke-free zones.
Another organization, Escape Velocity Research Foundation,was pitching its various community mental health and educational programs including book clubs for youths.
The festival also features a game station, character performances, storytelling and banana mural painting as well as ticketed attractions such as mazes, slides and bounce houses.
Various musical groups also will play throughout the day in addition to the tribute to Belafonte.
Sunday hours are 10 a.m to 6 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, and $8 for seniors and military veterans.
This story was originally published August 19, 2023 at 2:13 PM.