TAMPA — This year’s Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival will run Jan. 5-14, and will features speakers, musicians, artists, poets and craftspeople locally and nationally.

This 10-day, family friendly, cultural experience focuses on health, education, economic, social empowerment and the arts. The purpose of the Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival, Inc. is to offer the community of Tampa Bay a unique blend of African and African American art, culture and history, therefore serving as a conduit for promoting and perpetuating the art, culture and history of African Americans and African people for the benefit of all Tampa Bay residents and tourists to the Tampa Bay area. It exists to support the culturally rich and diverse Tampa Bay community by ensuring all events are inclusive of the entire community.

The centerpiece of the festival is a two-day Music Fest, which takes place the weekend of the MLK holiday. This year’s Music Fest will take place on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 13-14, at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 N. Ashley Drive, Tampa. General admission, preferred seating, and VIP Tickets are available now. Visit tampablackheritage.org/musicfest/.

Music Fest headliners include Keke Wyatt and Slave on Saturday; and Leela James and Adam Hawley on Sunday.

Keke Wyatt got her start performing in girl bands in her teenage years. The singer-songwriter attracted national attention following a collaboration with R&B artist Avant. Her rendition of “Nothing in This World” earned her a nomination for the Best New R&B/Soul/Rap Artist award at the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards in 2001. Wyatt has released five albums, including “Soul Sista” (2001), “Who Knew?” (2010), “Unbelievable” (2011), “Rated Love” (2016), and “Keke Covers” (2017).

Ohio-based funk outfit Slave hit the scene in 1977 with the single “Slide” from their self-titled debut album. That R&B chart-topper and Top 40 crossover smash featured the melodic basslines of Mark Adams. Another crucial component was the spirited and energizing force of drummer-turned-frontman Steve Arrington, voice of the similarly everlasting Top Ten R&B hits “Just a Touch of Love,” “Watching You,” and “Snap Shot.” The band continued to release new music through the mid 1990s.

R&B and soul singer-songwriter Leela James burst onto the scene in 2005 with her debut album “A Change Is Gonna Come.” She received a Soul Train Award nomination for Best R&B Soul Artist in 2008 and a NAACP Award nomination for Outstanding New Artist in 2005. James has gone on to record and release eight albums, including “Thought U Knew,” released in October.

Smooth jazz guitarist Adam Hawley debuted on Maurice White’s Kalimba Music label with the album “Just the Beginning” in 2016. Hawley’s four albums and work as a producer have generated 14 Billboard No. 1 hits.

In addition to the two-day Music Fest, the Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival also will sponsor several events. Following is a list of some TBBHF activities:

• Business Seminar: Empowering Black Entrepreneurs — Friday, Jan. 5, 9 to 11 a.m., at the Collaborative Entrepreneur Center, 2101 E. Palm Ave., Tampa. Registration cost is $10. To reserve a seat, visit www.tampablackheritage.org/seminars.

• Run for Us 5K — Saturday, Jan. 6, 8 a.m., at Gadsden Park, 6901 S. MacDill Ave, Tampa. To register, visit raceroster.com/events/2024/79407/run-for-us-5k.

• Heritage Gala: Western Glam — Sunday, Jan. 7, 6 to 10 p.m., at TPepin Hospitality Centre, 4121 N. 50th St., Tampa. Chapel Hart will perform. Tickets are $75. Visit tampablackheritage.ticketspice.com/heritage-gala.

• Leadership Luncheon with Willie Pearl Mackey King — Wednesday, Jan. 10, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at University Area Community Development Center, 14013 N. 22nd St., Tampa. Individual tickets are $25. Visit tampablackheritage.org/events

• The Stompdown Experience: National Step Tour — Saturday, Jan. 13, 7:30 p.m., in Ferguson Hall at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N. Macinnes Place, Tampa. Tickets start at $19.75. Visit strazcenter.org.