AFRAM's 50th anniversary kicks off uniting Baltimore once again

The first day of AFRAM couldn't have been any more perfect as the weather held up for the 50th anniversary. Thousands of people came out for the festivities on Juneteenth. 

People say AFRAM's 50th anniversary is a family reunion unlike any other, with hundreds of thousands expected to attend on Saturday and Sunday.

"It just shows the consistency, the resilience of culture, and how important the culture is. If it wasn't something people cared about, we wouldn't have reached 50," said Muchal Evans, a Baltimore resident.

Evans is a yearly attendee of AFRAM  and sees every year what the festival does for the community. 

"It's good to have something for the community to do, bring the community together and celebrate," she added.

On the other hand, the Williams family are first-timers. 

"We usually do some sort of Juneteenth tradition. We usually go to Annapolis, but this year we tried something new," Aviously Williams told WJZ's Bryant Reed.

"For the culture..."

Though Mario headlined opening day, the festival offered a star-studded lineup of artists, DJs, and performers.

"We mostly came here for Tamia," said one attendee.

Meanwhile, business owners snagged the opportunity to bring in new clientele.

"We get that extra visibility, so it's really great for business,"  said Shannon Jones of Sweet Konfections.

Overall, the night showed Baltimorians are excited to experience everything the 50th anniversary has in store. 

"For the culture on Juneteenth, Father's Day weekend, which is amazing… really nice,"  Angel Maes, another attendee, said.

Saturday's festivities begin at 12 pm -- the headliner will be The Lox, as thousands more are expected to come out and continue this family reunion of a weekend.