This event has passed.

Black History Month Luncheon

Name: Black History Month Luncheon
Start: 2026-02-25T12:15:00-05:00
End: 2026-02-25T15:00:00-05:00
Location: The Mall at Bay Plaza

February 25 @ 12:15 pm - 3:00 pm

FREE

Join Bronx Arts Ensemble and The Mall at Bay Plaza for an afternoon of vibrant African drumming and dance in celebration of Black History Month! Enjoy a live performance by BAE teaching artist Yahaya Kamate and the Kamate Traders at The Mall’s food court on the 3rd floor.

This event is part of the 5th annual Black History Month Luncheon hosted by Council Member Kevin C. Riley and the Mall at Bay Plaza.

PROGRAM

PERFORMERS

PROGRAM

Welcome and Opening Remarks — Council Member Kevin C. Riley

Invocation — Rabbi Keith Elijah Thompson

Black National Anthem – Yolanda Wyns

Performance Interlude — Bronx Arts Ensemble

Historical Overview — Council Member Kevin C. Riley

Senior Spotlight — Council Member Kevin C. Riley

Performance — Bronx Arts Ensemble

Closing Remarks — Council Member Kevin C. Riley

Distribution of Food & Event Favors — Team Riley x Bay Plaza

Event Partners: Mall at Bay Plaza, DJ Madout, Catholic Charities

PERFORMERS

Yahaya Kamate at The Mall at Bay Plaza 8.16.24

YAHAYA KAMATE is a native of the Ivory Coast. As a former member of the National Ballet of the Ivory Coast, he first came to the United States to honor his country by touring with the ballet in 1994. In 1997, he established himself in the Sunshine State. Kamate performed at Busch Gardens, the Animal Kingdom, and Epcot Center for two years before coming back to New York and the tri-state area where he teaches in both public and private schools. He practices African Dance, Drumming, Modern Dance, and Ballet. Currently, he is an instructor at Alvin Ailey, a performer and dance teacher at Friends Academy, and a Teaching Artist with Bronx Arts Ensemble.

MAP AND DIRECTIONS

The image shows the exterior of The Mall at Bay Plaza in the Bronx, New York City. It is a three-level enclosed fashion mall that is part of a larger shopping complex

GOOGLE MAP

DIRECTIONS

BY CAR

I-95 South

Take I-95 (New England Thruway) South
Take Exit 11 Bartow Avenue
Merge onto Edson Ave
Turn left onto Bartow Avenue to Co-Op City Boulevard

I-95 North

Take I-95 (New England Thruway) North
Take Exit 11 Bartow Avenue
Continue right on Bartow Avenue to Co-Op City Boulevard

From Hutchinson River Parkway South

Take the Baychester Avenue exit

From Queens

Take the Whitestone or Throgs Neck Bridge to I-95 (New England Thruway) North
Take Exit 11 Bartow Avenue

From New York City

Take the Bruckner Expressway or Cross Bronx Expressway
East to I-95 (New England Thruway) North
Take Exit 11 Bartow Avenue

BY CAR SERVICE

The Mall at Bay Plaza car service provided by Best Deal Inc. is located at the mall front entrance for your convenience. Look for our dispatch locations within the Bay Plaza complex in front of AMC Movie Theater or call 718-798-5555

BY MASS TRANSIT (See below for printable timetables)

NYC Transit Buses serving Bay Plaza:

Bx12 SBS between Pelham Parkway and Fordham Road
Bx12 local (late night only) between Pelham Parkway and Fordham Road
Bx5 (weekends only) between West Farms Road/Southern Boulevard and Bay Plaza
Bx23 between Pelham Bay and Co-Op City Loop
Bx26 between Co-Op City Section 5 and Bedford Park
Bx28 between Co-Op City Section 5 and Fordham Center
Bx29 between City Island and Bay Plaza
Bx30 between Co-Op City Section 5 and Norwood
Bx38 between Bay Plaza and Norwood
Q50 between Co-Op City and Flushing
BxM7 between Co-Op City and Midtown Manhattan

Subway

#5, 6 subway to bus station

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Council and District 12 Councilmember Kevin C. Riley, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs’ FY2025 Cultural Development Fund (CDF).

Supported by The Howard Gilman Foundation and the Ponce de León Foundation

Thank you to our supporters