Henderson to mark Black History Month with annual Gospel Fest this weekend

Mona Shield Payne

HB (Holy Boy) brings laughter to the house while singing onstage with, from left, Sharon Kennedy, Jermaine Collins and Toni Morgan Saturday during the 5th Annual Gospel Fest at the Black Mountain Recreation Center in Henderson.

By Aida Ahmed

Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012 | 1:04 p.m.

The city of Henderson is celebrating Black History Month this weekend with its annual two-day Gospel Fest at Black Mountain Recreation Center.

The city’s Parks and Recreation Department and radio station KCEP-FM will co-host the free event Friday and Saturday.

The festival’s main event, a performance of the Broadway musical “Hiram & Nettie,” will take place both days. The musical, described as a history lesson on forbidden love, is being produced by local community empowerment arts organization Broadway In the Hood. The play will run at 7 p.m. Friday and at noon Saturday. Audience members will be invited to a “talk-back” session with the cast and crew after the performances.

Food and other items will be on sale beginning at 4 p.m. Friday and at 11 a.m. Saturday.

The festival will close with a gospel concert at 6 p.m. Saturday. Performers include Victory Missionary Baptist Church Voices of Victory and its men’s choir, Joshua Generation, Roland Gibson and Dominion and Penny Thredwell.

Black Mountain Recreation Center is at 599 Greenway Road. Admission to the festival is free. Tickets are recommended and are available by calling 267-4040.