Norwich — With the wintry weather expected to clear out, downtown Norwich is anticipating a festive atmosphere Saturday with three events being co-promoted by one another and the Global City Norwich program.
A Dominican Republic Flag Day celebration in the City Hall area, a streetwear pop-up sales event on Main Street and a Black History Month Black-owned business fair and fashion show at Foundry 66 on Franklin Street will run throughout the day and into Saturday night.
The Dominican Flag Day celebration begins at 9 a.m. with a breakfast at Latin Quarters/Pie Hops at 80 Broadway. The flagraising ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. outside City Hall at 100 Broadway. Famous Dominican meringue artist El Jeffrey will sing the Dominican national anthem at the flagraising and will highlight a Dominican celebration at 9 p.m. at Latin Quarters.
Streetwear vendor Other Worldly will have a pop-up event at the retail store The Main Plug, 235 Main St., from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday featuring new apparel and regular favorites.
At 1 p.m., the festivities move indoors with the first Black History Month Black-owned business and vendor fair in the Sunlight building at Foundry 66. The business fair is scheduled to run until about 5:15 p.m., with music and dance performances, as well as authors reading excerpts from their works.
Organizer Tiara Dunn Sullivan Waters said admission is free to the vendor fair, but she will have a donation box at the entrance in hopes of raising money to make the event an annual affair. She hopes to create a nonprofit organizing group for the event.
Waters said nearly 30 Black-owned business vendors are expected, with goods and services ranging from fashion to insurance, food, retail and nonprofit services. One nonprofit offers tuition support for African Americans studying to become teachers. Another offers mental health services for families. Waters said many Black families do not discuss mental health issues openly, and with the COVID-19 pandemic, the need is great.
“The goal is to connect people in the community and mental health services,” Waters said. “It is a big issue in the African American community. We don’t talk about it enough.”
Tables at the business fair will be pushed back at 5:15 to make way for a fashion show at 5:45 p.m. that will include Other Worldly’s streetwear apparel.
“We’re all cross-promoting the three events, so people visit all three events,” Waters said.
c.bessette@theday.com
