Afro Roots Fest has historically celebrated the widespread influence that Africa continues to have on music and furthers the mission of Community Arts and Culture, which is to foster an appreciation of the arts and culture through education. It is as much about root African culture as it is about the syncretism of it with Western cultural traditions.

Originating in 1999 at the now-defunct Tobacco Road, Afro Roots Fest has become one of the area’s longest-running music festivals. Named one of the “10 Best Music Festivals in Miami” by the Miami New Times, it was crowned the “Best Music Festival” in the 2019 “Best of Miami” issue. Past performers have included Amadoun & Mariam, Sun Ra Arkestra, Alsarah, Fatoumata Diawara, Fulu Miziki, Salif Keita, Vieux Farka Toure, Toubab Krewe, and Roberto Torres, among many others. Since 2018, the event has become a nomadic affair that now includes separate concerts in markets such as Gainesville, Jupiter, Miami Beach, Doral, and Islamorada.

Through multi-act concerts, events at area schools, panel discussions, musical workshops, and showcases, Afro Roots Fest has consistently delivered top-shelf musical acts, opportunities for networking and Q&As, teaching moments, and a sense of global goodwill, all the while celebrating Pan-African and Caribbean cultures.

From its humble beginnings as a performance featuring the Sun Ra tribute band Afro Polyphonic Space Orchestra to its current incarnation featuring dozens of acts in several countries over several months’ time, it has always been about the music. Afro Roots music.

Asere Social Club is an anthology of music, memory, and movement celebrating the Afro-Cuban experience—past, present, and future. This multimedia presentation explores the cultural impact of West African Abakuá mutual aid societies on Cuban popular music from the 1920s to the present day. Produced by Grammy-nominated artist Jose Elias, the show features performances by Cortadito and Irawo Osa, two ensembles at the forefront of 21st-century Cuban tradition. The production also includes guest appearances by Brenda Navarrete, EL B, DJ Le Spam, Ernesto “El Gato” Gatell, and dancers Barbara Ramos and Marisol Blanco, with poetry by Román Díaz and Adrian Castro. The evening is hosted by Fulbright Scholar Dr. Ivor Miller.

CAC first launched Asere Social Club in early 2025 in collaboration with the Wolfsonian–FIU and the Koubek Center. The event drew a capacity audience and was praised for its powerful blend of music, poetry, and cultural storytelling. Building on that success, CAC is expanding the program as a key component of the Afro Roots Festival.

The Afro Roots Fest has spanned Alachua, Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Palm Beach Counties, presenting concerts, workshops, and lectures annually. Each event has been produced in collaboration with local partners and supported through grants, contracted services, and in-kind contributions.