Marion Black Joy Summerfest 2025 was held on June 28th, 2025 at MLK Park from 12pm-5pm; and was preceded by a Dedication Ceremony for Marion Voices‘ new West Side // Shantytown Ohio Historical Marker.
Thank you to the 2025 funders & sponsors who helped make this festival possible — with major support provided by the Ohio Arts Council‘s FY2025 ArtsRISE grant, with partial matching support by the Marion Community Foundation‘s Racial Equity & Justice Grant, and supplementary support from OhioHealth & a plethora of community businesses & organizations in Marion, Ohio.
Marion Black Joy Summerfest 2025 was made possible in part by a FY2025 ArtsRISE grant from the Ohio Arts Council, a Racial Equity & Justice Grant from the Marion Community Foundation, Platinum Sponsorship from OhioHealth, Silver Sponsorship by Tri-Rivers Career Center, Pillar Credit Union, Shamrock Insurance,, Streetwise Motors Inc., Whirlpool — FOCUS African-American Network, & McDaniel Automotive, & Bronze Sponsorship by Marion Public Library, Reece Auto, Mathews Chrysler, Jeep, & Dodge, Allscape Property Service, Boyd, & Verne-Hart Insurance.
Marion Black Joy Summerfest is Marion Voices‘s signature festival, & is Marion County’s only major festival dedicated to the power of Black cultural arts, history, heritage, & futures in Marion County. Held — generally! — on the Saturday immediately following Juneteenth (NOTE: Marion Black Joy Summerfest 2024, due to a conflict with another Juneteenth event, will be held June 29th) at MLK Park on Marion’s historically-Black West Side, Marion Black Joy Summerfest offers a full day of music, traditional cultural arts workshops & demonstrations, themed narrative stage panel discussions, a brand-new pop-up exhibit on Black Marion history each season … plus a kids’ area, Black-owned food trucks & a Black-owned vendor marketplace.
Fundraising for Marion Black Joy Summerfest begins each year in January/February. Our festival would not be possible without the generous support of community & corporate sponsors, nor without grant support.
See below for information about Marion Black Joy Summerfest 2024!
