The 5th annual Taste of Soul, L.A.’s Soul Food & Music Festival, is presented by the Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper and Mothers in Action, in conjunction with Radio Free 102.3 KJLH and the 94.7 The Wave, and will take place Saturday, October 16 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Each year, the one-day urban festival features the best in soul food cuisine and live entertainment. Billed as Los Angeles’ largest street festival, the Taste of Soul Festival takes place outside on Crenshaw Boulevard between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Rodeo Boulevard and plays host to over 100,000 attendees from all over Southern California.
Los Angeles Sentinel President and Executive Editor Danny Bakewell Jr. calls the alliance with Radio Free 102.3 KJLH and 94.7 The Wave, “a special media partnership that allows for the many at ‘Taste of Soul’ to be the beneficiaries of a remarkable day that will leave a lasting impression for friends and families for years to come.”
The Taste of Soul Festival started as the brainchild of Los Angeles Sentinel executive publisher Danny Bakewell, Sr. who wanted to bring the Black community together for a day of fun-filled entertainment.
After collaborating with Radio One founder Cathy Hughes, L.A. City Councilmen Bernard Parks and Herb Wesson and Councilwoman Jan Perry, Bakewell’s vision was realized in October 2006, as an estimated 35,000 people came out to historic Crenshaw Blvd. in one of the largest gatherings in the city’s history.
The following year, that number grew to 75,000 and with close to 160 vendors, it became an even greater success that attracted people all over Southern California and it was established as one of the city’s most anticipated events.
2008 saw the third year of the Taste Soul Festival and attracted a record 100,000 attendees and in 2009, that number grew even larger!