ARTS

The Montclair African-American Heritage Parade and Festival return on Saturday, June 2 with plenty of music, entertainment, community spirit, great food and lots of fun.

The 23rd annual African American Heritage Parade starts at 10:30 a.m. and will follow a route which begins at& Glenfield Park and heads south on Willowdale Avenue, then west on Washington Avenue to Orange Road, continues south on Orange Road around the bend to& Cedar Avenue and ends at Nishuane Park.

This year's parade Grand Marshals are First Sergeant John B. Knox and Fourth Ward Councilor Renee E. Baskerville. Sergeant Knox served in the US Army and fought with his unit in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. Councilor Baskerville was recently re-elected to serve a second term on Township Council.

Many community members and organizations will participate in the parade, including the NAACP, Montclair Recreation POP Warner Jr. Bulldogs, Bike & Walk Montclair, Montclair Pre-K and others.

The festival will take place from 12:00- 6:00 p.m. at Nishuane Park on Cedar Avenue and High Street. Festival headliners include Tony Award-winning musical sensation Melba Moore, The Manhattans lead singer and R&B recording artist Gerald Alston, winner of Bravo's inaugural Platinum Hit series Sonyae Elise and Montclair's own Drums of Thunder from Hillside School.

Festival entertainment will also include a tribute to Whitney Houston and appearances by local musicians and performers Eddie Nicholas, DJ Kerry Asbury, Jacquelyn Graham, Sweet Spirit Gospel, Danielle Franklyn and the sensational Absolute Step Team.

For the young crowd there will be pony rides, an inflatable bounce, face painting and much more.