West African heritage will be something to watch, hear and take part in at Atlanta’s Wontanara festival this weekend. Its Roots to the Future programme brings film, music, dance and business conversations into the same community gathering.

The organiser’s event listing confirms 30 October to 1 November 2026 at Southwest Arts Center, 915 New Hope Road SW, in South Fulton. Friday’s opening is listed for 3pm local time.

The event has not begun at the time of this report. The details below describe its announced programme rather than attendance, performances already delivered or outcomes.

A weekend with several ways in

Secret Atlanta’s preview, published on 29 October, highlights a programme combining workshops, drum and dance sessions, a marketplace and live music. It reports that Le Marché will feature more than 30 Black-owned artisan, food and wellness vendors.

Local arts publication ARTS ATL also lists the festival as a seventh annual celebration, connecting West African and diaspora arts with youth activities, business education and performance. Its general calendar label should not be taken to mean that every festival activity is free.

The organiser offers the most specific information about individual events and ticket inclusions. That matters because a person interested in one screening is making a different choice from someone planning a full weekend of classes.

Film and music on the programme

Friday’s listing includes a 3pm screening of Kirikou and the Sorceress, advertised as free with a reservation required. For families and film audiences, that offers a point of entry into the wider cultural weekend.

Saturday’s concert, The Awakening, is scheduled for 8pm, with doors at 7pm. The organiser names performers including Asase Yaa, Giwayen Mata and Wontanara Entertainment. Readers should consult the current listing for the full programme and any changes.

These events bring different forms of storytelling together. A film can introduce a viewer to a narrative world, while a class or performance offers another kind of encounter with rhythm, movement and creative interpretation.

Check what your ticket covers

The festival’s schedule and admissions information distinguishes classes, day passes, concert tickets and weekend packages. Some options include the concert and others do not.

Free activities include the Friday film showcase and Sunday’s business workshop and panel discussion. The booking page lists a grant-writing session led by founder Abena Camara on Sunday from 10–11am, followed by Hands of Heritage, an elder panel discussion, from 11:10am–12:10pm. Reservations are requested for those free sessions.

Visitors should verify the specific event, venue address and ticket inclusions directly before travelling. All programme times refer to the Atlanta area; they are not UK or West Africa times.

Heritage as participation

The wider significance of this programme is an audience question. The following is analysis of its format, rather than evidence of results achieved: a festival can allow people to enter a cultural conversation through the activity that feels most accessible to them.

Someone may arrive for a film and discover a local artisan. A parent may choose a children’s activity while an older relative prefers a discussion. That range can create opportunities for exchange without assuming that every person of African heritage has the same interests or cultural knowledge.

For visitors encountering an unfamiliar tradition, an attentive approach can be simple: listen to how artists describe their work, distinguish particular styles and communities, and leave room for the people presenting them to explain their own cultural context.

Business workshops alongside performances also recognise that cultural work involves practical livelihoods. Whether those conversations lead to lasting opportunities will require follow-up beyond the weekend.

The connection is relevant to RIM’s approach to audience development: participation grows from understanding how different people want to engage. Wontanara’s immediate offer is a published programme with several routes in, rather than a single way to experience West African culture.

Why this matters

For African and diaspora communities in the United States, local cultural gatherings can make heritage accessible through film, learning, enterprise and live performance. Wontanara’s programme offers those different forms of participation in one weekend. The practical distinction between free sessions and paid activities helps readers plan without misleading expectations. Its longer-term community and business value will depend on the relationships and work that continue after the event.

Sources

Topics: Wontanara Festival · Atlanta · West African culture · African diaspora · Dance and music · Community arts · African storytelling

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