MERIDIAN, Idaho — The Soul Food Festival, previously called the Soul Food Extravaganza, celebrated African-American culture and food at Kleiner Park in Meridian on Saturday.
The festival has been a tradition since 1994, although it laid dormant for five years until last year when Shari Baber, now president of the organization, started it up again.
"It is my sincere desire to allow the festival to continue to grow and leave a legacy for generations to come," Baber said in statement. "This opportunity has allowed us to bridge the gap of cultural understanding with many of our partners in the Treasure Valley."
The Soul Food Festival featured classic dishes including barbecue, Cajun cuisine, ribs, and hot links, as well as African art, jewelry, and clothing.
"My hope is that the Soul Food Festival will be a safe space to foster understanding and cultural awareness over a good meal and great music," she continued in the statement.
For Baber, the festival is an opportunity to share African-American culture with the Treasure Valley community.
"The mission of the soul food festival is to share African-American culture and history and celebrate our heritage, so we want to introduce the Treasure Valley to our food, our music and our fun," she said.
Baber hopes that the revitalized Soul Food Festival will become a longstanding event and tradition for years to come.
The event is meant to help educate the Treasure Valley community about African American history and culture, according to the Soul Food Festival's mission statement. The festival also hopes to create harmony and peace through sharing meals together.
The Soul Food Festival continues until 8 p.m. Saturday with activities for the whole family.