By ANDREA RICHARD

Courtesy of ArtsCalendarBlog.com

On a recent sunny Saturday afternoon, Delevoe Park in Sistrunk drew a large crowd of locals, creative folks, performing artists and entrepreneurs.

The festive gathering, held just outside the historical African-American Research Library in Reverend Samuel Develoe Memorial Park, kicked-off a new collaborative project, Destination Sistrunk, as well as welcomed in the holiday season.

The four-hour event featured a mix of fun activities for all ages, such as spoken word, live music, dance performances, ethnic food and a paint-a-mural program. Vendors sold their wares from sweet treats to unique fashion pieces during the afternoon, while performing artists took to the main stage to entertain a receptive audience.

“Turn to the left, turn to the right,” one MC belted out on the mic as attendees swayed and danced along.

Destination Sistrunk wasn’t only an afternoon of community celebration, it also served as a Cultural Marketplace in which entrepreneurs and vendors got an opportunity to do business. A notable participating vendor was Goose & Gander Brand, a clothing lifestyle brand inspired by the pursuit of passion, which boasted a beautiful classic Americana aesthetic of t-shirts, bags and accessories.

Founder Tahaji Felder started the company a year ago in response to losing her job as an accountant. She said that she found opportunity in the loss and looked at the situation as a means to finally free herself to pursue her dreams.

By pursuing that dream – and risk – of going off on her own, she was able to take advantage of the Cultural Market- place and expose her brand to the community. She hopes to continue being involved.

Children kept busy with paint on large sheets of paper-rolls, creating an exciting way for the youngsters to flourish. “Hey, mom! Look, what I did,” one child said.

Attendees were treated to an array of live musical performances, from strong vocals to serious instrumentalists. The talent – young and young-at-heart – graced the stage and wowed the audience, highlighting once again that Sistrunk and Broward County are home to a range of talent.

Since Destination Sistrunk opened up with so much success, another cultural marketplace is in the works, so be sure to keep an eye out for the announcement.