Sankofaonline News Commentary July 27,2025.
For nearly four decades, the final Saturday of July has transformed Chicago’s Washington Park into a vibrant mosaic of Ghanaian pride. GhanaFest has long been more than an event, it is a cultural heartbeat, a gathering of generations, a living archive of heritage. But on July 26th, 2025, the park stood still. The jubilant rhythms, the sea of kente, the spirited affirmations of identity were absent. In their place lingered only the quiet hum of everyday life.
Yet even in that silence, a flicker of spirit remained.
A modest group of about thirty individuals,mostly Nigerians promoting their podcast, gathered in quiet camaraderie. There were playful rounds of ping-pong, laughter over spicy delicacies, and impromptu dancing sparked by the echo of a distant drum. One song pierced the quiet with unexpected poignancy: “Oya oo oya oo, asi le ji.” We are ready, let us go. The words, carried on the breeze, felt like a promise. A whisper to the soul. A reminder that GhanaFest is not gone, it is simply gathering strength.
That melody, simple yet stirring, planted a seed of hope. It suggested that the rhythm of GhanaFest will return, not as a shadow of its former self, but as a renewed force. A celebration reborn. A cultural heartbeat that will once again fill Washington Park with the unmistakable energy of Ghanaian pride, purpose, and joy.
Meanwhile, across town in Jackson Park, the Igbo Kingdom was in full bloom . The festival was more than a cultural showcase,it was a living legacy. The youth were not just invited; they were summoned. Called to the stage, urged to dance, to feel the rhythm of their ancestry. The emcee’s voice rang out with clarity and conviction: “This is who we are.”
That declaration carries weight. It is not just a statement, it was a call to action. A truth that Ghanaian Chicagoans must embrace with equal passion. This is who we are. Our culture is not a memory,it is a movement. Our heritage is not a relic, it is a living flame. We are the torchbearers, the storytellers, the architects of a legacy that refuses to fade.
And just as the Nigerian music of readiness proclaims, “We are ready, let us go,” so too must GhanaFest rise again. Not just as an event, but as a reaffirmation. A joyful, defiant celebration of identity. Right here in Chicago. Right here in the USA.
See Pictures of the celebrations below:
