Source: Tonya Pendleton / For CassiusLife.com
For Alumni, By Alumni, this is theme for FABA Fest, created to celebrate the graduates of esteemed HBCUs across the country. This ultimate homecoming will take place from June 15-18, 2023 in the tropical island of Barbados, spanning four days to celebrate in a sea of Black excellence.
FABA Fest was curated by the very people behind African-American travel club “The Takeover.” Aiming to create a festival that “celebrates and illuminates the vast cultural wealth and excellence of the HBCU experience,” the event will be a first stop of gathering alumni of these illustrious institutions on Juneteenth weekend.
Creating a global network of HBCU alumni, the Caribbean location of pristine beaches intertwined with Black history makes the perfect setting for attendees to bask in their shared heritage. The festival’s primary event, the Alumni Engagement Leadership Summit, will focus on brainstorming new ways to engage a vast alumni group to encourage giving back to their beloved schools. Other activities include polo matches, a golf tournament, and, of course, a tailgate party.
Keeping with the tradition of homecoming, FABA will showcase DJs that got their start at their HBCUs throughout the scheduled festivities. However, the send-off event will be the “Battle of the Boats,” described as a not one’s average boat party, by also serving as a fundraiser for HBCU students.
On the announcement of the groundbreaking shindig, FABA Fest’s founder La Chanda Ricks by email stated, “This festival is more than a party, it’s a reunion. It’s a celebration of HBCU and Black excellence. It’s a melding of rich cultures. And most importantly, it’s an opportunity to make an impact.”
To make the travel to FABA Fest accessible, the founders have partnered with Blue Sky Luxury and BSL rentals to accommodate large group and private stays, and promo code FABA can be used to receive 10 percent off bookings. With direct flights to Barbados from multiple airlines along the East Coast, this one of a kind HBCU alumni destination festival is one everyone can experience.
Passes for the Juneteenth weekend event start at $349 per person, and are on sale now at fabafest.com.
