Columbia’s Jubilee Festival at Mann-Simons Site honors Black history and culture

The 47th annual Jubilee Festival in Columbia brought music, art, food, and guided tours at the Mann-Simons Site, celebrating Black history and resilience.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The 47th annual Jubilee Festival wrapped up Saturday in downtown Columbia, bringing together hundreds of community members to honor Black history, culture, and resilience.

Held at the historic Mann-Simons Site, the long-running celebration featured live music, handcrafted art, local vendors, and the smell of soul food filling the air. But for many, it was more than a festival. It was a deeply rooted cultural tradition.

“There is not just one type of Black people celebrated here, it’s all types of Black,” one attendee said.

Honoring a legacy

Jubilee has been held at the Mann-Simons Site since its inception. The historic home belonged to a prominent Black entrepreneurial family in Columbia, and its preservation became the foundation for the first Jubilee Festival in 1978.

“And we host it on the Mann Simons historic museum site, which was the home of the Black entrepreneurs’ family in Columbia, S.C.,” said TiffanyJ, project manager for the event. “And because it didn’t get demolished back in 1978, a group of Black people celebrated the first landmark as Jubilee, and since then we’ve been having the festival for 47 years now.”

Festivalgoers were invited to take free guided tours of the site, provided in partnership with Columbia SC 63 and the University of South Carolina’s Center for Civil Rights History and Research.

“And it just goes through different generations of the Simons family and how they pretty much persevered through this time because they were free when most people were enslaved,” Ebboni Belton of Columbia said. “Then, when we got to Jim Crow, they still had the privilege to own their own businesses, so this is the perfect spot to continue to have this celebration that we have every year.”

Community spirit

Attendees of all ages came to experience the festival’s celebration of Black culture through art, education, food, and fellowship. Among the groups participating was the 40+ Double Dutch Crew, a women’s group emphasizing fun and fitness.

“It was a really good turnout this year, and this is my second year attending,” said attendee Meme. “The vendors are great; it seems like they have a good opportunity for health screenings and things like that.”

Ebonee White, a first-time festival attendee, said she appreciated the emphasis on education and heritage.

“This is my first here and I really love it, especially those talking about Black history, which was really good to see,” White said. “And I absolutely love celebrating Black culture, so just being out here on this beautiful day among beautiful people; it’s amazing.”

Looking ahead

Organizers say this year’s Jubilee was one of the largest turnouts to date. With strong community support and continued interest, planning is already underway for the 48th annual celebration.

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