On Saturday October 15 over 350,000 residents will converge on Crenshaw Boulevard for Los Angeles’ largest street festival and the largest gathering of African American Businesses in the country TASTE OF SOUL!
This year’s festival themed: "It's A Family Affair" has become the 11th in what is now known as a destination event for all of not only the city of Los Angeles but Los Angeles County and surrounding communities.
Founder/Creator Danny J. Bakewell, Sr. says this year’s event will be the biggest and best ever.
"Taste of Soul has grown into an institution within our community,” said Bakewell Sr.
“When I first came up with this idea it was driven by a desire to create an event that allows our community to celebrate ourselves, our own community and be proud of who we are. This event would not be possible without the great support we have received from our media partners KJLH and 94.7 THE WAVE who will be providing the entertainment stages for the event as well as The McDonalds Gospel Stage and StarQuest stage which will feature some of Los Angeles’ most celebrated local talent.”
Along with the entertainment, the day will be filled with food and fun for everyone. Challengers Boys & Girls Club is hosting a Children's Zone to provide entertainment and activities for kids. This area is sponsored by Walsh/Shea Construction the lead contractors on the Crenshaw Line Metro Project. The event will feature over 300 food and non food vendors who will be selling everything from Barbecue, Soul food and other community staples to snow cones and grilled shrimp.
Also as part of the day’s events several community service providers will attend including the Los Angeles County, METRO and The University of Southern California (USC) who will be promoting services and opportunities that community residents will have access to at Taste of Soul and throughout the year.
This year’s event will also have a heavy emphasis on Voter Registration and Get Out To Vote. The Los Angeles County Registrar Recorders Office, New Frontier Democratic Club and several fraternities and sororities including Kappa Alpha Psi will be doing voter education and voter registration to ensure that the African American Community is aware of the importance of this year’s election.
"I am so excited about this year’s Taste of Soul,” said Council President Herb Wesson who has been serving as a co-chair of Taste of Soul since its inception.
“Taste of Soul has grown to be the pillar event within our community. When Danny and Brenda (Marsh-Mitchell) first came to me to share the vision, I was all in but I 
could never have imagined that it would have grown into what is has become. Los Angeles is a very diverse city and to have an opportunity to host the premier street festival in the city right in the heart of my district is both a pleasure and an honor that all of Los Angeles looks forward to every year.”
Taste of Soul will be held on Saturday October 15, 2016 from 10am to 7pm on Crenshaw Boulevard between Stocker and Exposition. For more information, go to www.tasteofsoulla.com or download the Taste of Soul App. See you October 15th!