Festival Sundiata presents Black Arts Fest will take place August 22-23, 2026 in the Armory Food & Event Hall and Mural Amphitheatre. The festival is part of the Seattle Center Festál series. It is free and open to the public. This festival focuses on intergenerational activities and promotion of traditional and contemporary African American heritage, showcasing local entertainment, photography, food merchants, historical exhibits, and more.

Festival Sundiata (pronounced: Soon-jah-tah), is the longest running African American festival celebrated in the Pacific Northwest and Seattle, holding its first festival in 1980. The festival is named in honor of the Sundiata Keita, the historic and legendary Mansa (King of Kings) of the Mali Empire in West Africa. King Sundiata rescued his people’s griot and created one of the most significant cultural and economic kingdoms in Africa.